New Delhi: Non-UPA ruled states on Saturday criticised the Centre for its policies towards them with Tamil
Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her Gujarat counterpart
Narendra Modi launching scathing attacks by accusing it of
weakening the federal structure.
"I am not sure that the government of India recognises
the states as partners, leave alone equal partners, and
respects their viewpoints," Jayalalithaa said in her speech
that was circulated at the National Development Council
meeting here.
"There are attempts by the Centre to weaken the states
with too much interference thereby reducing them to the status
of glorified municipal corporations," she said.
Modi was equally acerbic as he accused the Centre of
"tinkering" with the federal structure and advised the ruling
UPA to follow the "federal dharma".
"... I wish to draw the attention of this august body to
attempts being made increasingly by the Central government to
tinker with the federal structure mandated by the
Constitution," he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati stressed on the
need to "rise above party politics" to ensure speedier
development of the backward regions.
She said as the objectives of inclusive growth could not
be fully met during the 11th Five Year Plan, there was a need
to initiate concrete measures during the 12th Plan to ensure
speedier development of backward regions and to bring the
"downtrodden" into the mainstream of growth.
"To achieve such balanced and higher level of
development, it will be necessary to rise above party politics
and so distribute the resources as to uplift the lagging
regions and neglected sections of our society," she said.
PTI
