The Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters 2025 kicked off on Thursday with a fiery speech by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin who lashed out at the Narendra Modi government for trying to erode the rights of states and encroaching upon their powers. He also targeted the Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, accusing him of being an 'agent of the Union government'.

Addressing the gathering while taking part in the session titled 'Reimagine India: Currents of the South', Udhayanidhi said, "Whenever we speak of state rights, there is a voice that claims that it goes against national interest. We ask who gave you the authority to decide what is best for the nation’s development? They paint a false picture portraying us as disrupters and themselves as sole protectors of the nation. The Union government cannot implement any scheme in a state without the involvement of the state government. It is the state government which is deeply connected with the people of the state in every aspect of their lives."

Slamming the Centre, especially Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, of unfairly treating non-BJP ruled states, the Tamil Nadu Deputy CM recalled how the Union Budget 2025 did not even have a mention of either his state or that of neighbouring Kerala.

"The Union government has been encroaching upon matters that fall under the state list. Why does the Union government want to concentrate all the powers in its hands? Our leaders in Tamil Nadu have stressed that only matters like defence, foreign affairs and inter-state relations should be under the Union government. However, over the decades, the Union government has taken over excessive power undermining the federal structure," he said, pitching for autonomy for the states, and federalism at the Centre.

'Governor's office is being weaponised'

Udhayanidhi cited the misuse of the Governor's office as one of the most glaring examples of erosion of state rights. He said, "The Governor who is meant to be a Constitutional head has become an agent of the Union government. Governors in Opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu are acting not as a bridge between the Centre and states but as a roadblock in the functioning of elected state governments."

"In Tamil Nadu, we have a Governor who is sitting for months on Bills passed by the legislature. He has delayed crucial decisions and acted in ways that defy the mandate of the people. The Union government is forcing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) on Tamil Nadu, a state that already excels in public health. The delay in granting approval to the NEET Exemption Bill, which was passed unanimously by the Tamil Nadu assembly is a stark reminder of how the Governor's office is being weaponised to undermine state autonomy. In Tamil Nadu, the Governor's office, instead of being a symbol of unity, has become a place of political overreach," he further said.