I urge Hon'ble PM @narendramodi and Finance Minister @arunjaitely to modify the undemocratic ToR to XVFC and ensure financial justice to the...

DMK working president M.K. Stalin issued an urgent appeal on March 21, 2018, calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to revise the terms of reference prescribed for the 15th Finance Commission. Stalin emphasized that the proposed guidelines were fundamentally undemocratic and posed an immediate threat to the financial stability of progressive peninsular states across India.

Stalin argued that allocating central revenues based on the 2011 census rather than the established 1971 benchmarks penalizes states like Tamil Nadu that diligently executed national population management and family welfare policies. This regressive approach, he warned, would drastically cut rightful tax devolutions and handicap ongoing social welfare infrastructure. Stalin stressed that penalizing administrative governance success directly undermines national unity and basic cooperative federalism.

The DMK leader asserted that fiscal fairness is non-negotiable for balanced regional development. He urged the Union government to ensure genuine economic justice by instituting transparent criteria that reward sustainable governance and public health achievements. Stalin reiterated his resolve to rally southern leadership, pledging that the DMK will persistently champion the economic autonomy and constitutional entitlements of Tamil Nadu.