PTR flays Fadnavis remarks on Madurai Metro

Madurai: Information technology minister P T R Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said on Wednesday that Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is a friend of his, but he disagrees with his views regarding Madurai Metro project. He told reporters here that Madurai and Coimbatore Metro projects were rejected citing population as reasons, even though metro projects have been implemented in northern states with lower populations.Will the population (of Madurai) suddenly increase to 2.5 million at that time," he said citing Fadnavis's statement that he would reach out to PM Modi and bring the metro to Madurai if Raama Sreenivasan was elected MLA. He said Madurai Metro project report has been sent again to the Union Govt for approval after rectifying errors.Alleging that the Union Govt was adopting a ‘stepchild attitude' towards Tamil Nadu, he said funds were denied not only for metro project but for all schemes. Education funds were denied, stating they will only be granted if a three-language formula is implemented in the education system. He pointed out that Chennai Metro Phase II project was started in 2021-22 with the full funding of Tamil Nadu govt, but Union Cabinet gave its approval only in 2024. "The Union govt is telling people it will provide projects only if they vote for BJP, thereby forcing the public to vote for the party.He said the Centre continues to betray the people of Tamil Nadu by refusing to grant projects that rightfully belong to the state. "If Tamil Nadu gives 1 rupee to the Union govt, it returns only 25 paise, and even that comes with numerous regulations for spending," he said. He also alleged that projects are approved only if they are named in Sanskrit.