DMK to corner BJP-led Centre over BBC documentary, comments related to judiciary

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin asked his MPs to raise the issue of the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and the Hindenburg report on the Adani Group during the Budget Session of Parliament.

Chennai:The DMK is all set to take on the BJP-led Centre in the Parliament's Budget session over the controversial BBC documentary, the Hindenburg Research's report on the Adani group and a host of other issues. Chairing a meeting of party MPs here, party president and Chief Minister M K Stalin advised them to debate with firmness in Parliament on Tamil Nadu-related key issues, the controversy over the BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat violence and the losses to investors following the Hindenburg Research's report on the Adani group.

Also, Stalin told DMK Parliamentarians to voice the party's views on efforts aimed at 'altering' the basic features of the Constitution that result in 'unnecessary opinions' of some including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who questioned the Constitution's basic structure doctrine. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had described the collegium system as being something 'alien' to the Indian Constitution. He had said that it was a 'matter of grave concern' that certain portions of sensitive reports of the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing were put in the public domain by the Supreme Court collegium.

Days ago, he said intelligence officials work in a secret manner and they would 'think twice' in future if their reports are made public. A DMK release here said that the party discussed the important issues to be debated during the Union Budget session. Seeking exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET by getting Presidential assent for a Bill passed by the Assembly in this regard, implementation of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal project and attack on fishermen by Sri Lanka are among the Tamil Nadu-specific issues that would be taken up by the DMK. The Union Budget will be presented in Parliament on February 1, the last full-fledged budget of the Modi government before the 2024 general elections. (PTI)