Tamil Nadu CM Stalin's 'Cordial Meeting' With PM Modi For Contentious Chennai Metro And Samagra Shiksha Funds

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin held a 'cordial' meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday (27 September) to discuss key issues concerning the state including Chennai metro.

Stalin said he requested the release of the 'central government’s share' for the second phase of the Chennai Metro and alleged that several states that initiated their metro projects after Tamil Nadu have already received their funds.

Notably, Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has been accusing the Centre's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of delaying funds for the Chennai metro.

However, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier clarified that the second phase of the Chennai Metro is a state-sector project and that there would be no equity participation from the central government.

Despite this, Stalin called the second phase of the Chennai Metro a 'jointly implemented' project. He also urged the Centre for the immediate release of Samagra Shiksha funds.

These funds were withheld due to the non-implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), which has a compulsory three-language policy, while Tamil Nadu upholds a two-language policy as an anti-Hindi stance.

Stalin also called for urgent intervention regarding the repeated arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and hoped for swift and positive action from PM Modi for the 'benefit of Tamil Nadu.'