TVK Govt to Take Tamil Nadu’s Fund Devolution Fight to Supreme Court: Governor Arlekar

In his maiden address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly after the formation of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government , Governor RV Arlekar on Thursday said the state would fight for its rightful share in central tax devolution and take the matter to the Supreme Court if required.

Addressing the House, Arlekar said the government would pass a resolution demanding Tamil Nadu’s due share of financial devolution and set up a Special Legal Committee to pursue the issue legally. He said every rupee due to the state would be documented and a report on the Centre’s alleged discriminatory approach would be prepared.

The Governor, while reading out the government-prepared speech, said the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led regime would continue Tamil Nadu’s long-standing positions on issues including the two-language policy and state rights .

Arlekar highlighted Vijay’s political rise, saying the TVK chief formed the government within two years of launching the party and described the coalition government as a new model of “share in governance and share in power” in Tamil Nadu’s political history.

The Governor referred to Vijay’s demands before the Centre, including the establishment of the Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) near Hosur , opposition to Karnataka’s Mekedatu dam project , release of Tamil fishermen detained by Sri Lanka, and approval of metro projects for Hosur, Coimbatore and Madurai.

On social justice, Arlekar announced that the government would conduct a Social Justice Survey after the Union government completes caste enumeration along with the population census, stating that every community should receive due representation.

The Governor also raised concerns over Tamil Nadu’s finances, alleging that the state’s debt had risen to around ₹10 lakh crore , accounting for 28.3 per cent of GSDP. He said the government was taking measures to plug revenue leakages, including a new privilege fee on liquor manufacturers expected to generate up to ₹1,000 crore annually .

The address marked a contrast with former Governor RN Ravi’s tenure, which witnessed repeated disagreements with the previous DMK government over Assembly proceedings and references to Dravidian leaders.