Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman issued a cautionary statement to Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, urging him to "mind his words" in response to the latter's remark about 'father’s money'.
Earlier this month, Udhayanidhi addressed the alleged non-allocation of funds to Tamil Nadu by the Centre, stating, "We are not asking for anyone’s father's money. We are only asking for the share of tax paid by the people of Tamil Nadu."
Reacting to these comments, Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized that Udhayanidhi Stalin, being a minister, "should choose his words responsibly." She questioned whether he was exercising his political authority using his father's assets and reminded him that, as a chosen representative, respect should be accorded based on the people's choice.
Addressing a press conference, Sitharaman advised Udhayanidhi, a political leader with aspirations for growth, to "be mindful of his language and communicate in a manner befitting his position."
She highlighted that the Centre had already allocated Rs 900 crore to the state during recent heavy rains, clarifying that the funds were not characterized as "my father’s money or his father’s money."
In response, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu accused Sitharaman of insulting the state's residents during a calamity by "rudely refusing to provide funds" as requested by Chief Minister M K Stalin. He criticized her for adopting a confrontational tone akin to "waging a war on an enemy country" during her press conference, criticizing the DMK government's handling of the flood situation.
