The Hindu Huddle 2025: Union Government cannot dictate the state’s policies, says Palanivel Thiaga Rajan

Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and P. Rajeeve exchanged their views over a range of issues

The Union Government cannot dictate the state’s policies as the elected governments in states get to decide for themselves within the realm of the constitution, Tamil Nadu Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said on Saturday.

“Government of India nowhere gets the power to tell us what our priorities are. They are trying to dictate to us. The constitution is clear about Government of India cannot be dictating state’s policies. If you try to do all things from Delhi because you are power hungry, you will fail,” the Minister said during the panel discussion on ‘More Than a Sum of Parts: Reimagining India’s Federalism’, moderated by Narayan Lakshman, the Curator of The Hindu Huddle and Opinion Editor, The Hindu.

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Echoing similar sentiments, P. Rajeeve, Kerala Minister for Law, Industries and Coir said: “The parliament cannot fix the borrowing limits of the state. It does not have power to regulate universities. Centre is taking away all powers and encroaching upon the states’ powers.” Some Governors are living in colonial era, and unfortunately nobody during the discussion in Constituent Assembly could predict that this kind of people will become Governors, he said, hitting out at the overreach of the Governors in the Opposition-ruled states. 

The two leaders exchanged their views over a range of issues on devolution of funds, delimitation, centre-state relationship, the role of the Governor and language, which comes at a time when Southern states are at loggerheads with the Union Government.

Asking when was the last time that a Governor spoke about the issues pertaining to his state, Mr. Thiaga Rajan said that though the money was coming from states, the Centre was limiting the divisible pool by charging cess and surcharges that are not divisible. “The Centre is using Article 293 and provisions in back -to back loan to limit the borrowing limits of the state. We are capable of handling our finances. Who is questioning the Centre when the fiscal deficit is going through the roof?”

On the delimitation exercise that is set to be disadvantageous to Southern states, Mr. Rajeeve said: “We are not against delimitation, but a proportion should be maintained when the number of seats is increased. Equal representation has to be provided. It will be unfair if development index and population control is not considered and South’s representation is reduced.”