Ask NITI Aayog members not to speak out of turn: MK Stalin

Chennai: DMK on Monday took exception to statement of a member of NITI Aayog that agriculture should be included in the Central list saying any such move would amount to snatching the rights of the state governments and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct members of the planning body to desist from speaking out of turn.

In a statement, DMK working president M. K. Stalin said he has not heard of any proposal by any state government recommending inclusion of agriculture in the Central list and a statement by one member of the NITI Aayog has led to confusion among people.

“Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy and under the state list, agriculture has been providing jobs to 45.7 per cent of the general population.

The Centre has been shifting the responsibility to the state governments whenever it is asked questions on farmers' suicide. And now, trying to take agriculture from state subject amounts to snatching the rights of the state governments,” he said.

Raising doubts whether Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had “secretly” given his nod to take away agriculture from the state subject, he said statement by NITI Aayog member on a subject that has not been discussed in the meeting was condemnable.

It is highly condemnable that a member of the NITI Aayog has spoken about an issue, which has not been discussed at the meeting of the planning body, in which chief ministers of all states are members. “Such an unilateral statement by a member of the NITI Aayog is against federal structure of the country and it raises doubts whether the NITI Ayog is functioning as an extension of the Union Cabinet,” Stalin said.

He also asked Modi to ensure that NITI Aayog members don't speak in public about policy matters. “If members talk about policies outside the NITI Aayog forum, there is no point in chief ministers being members of the governing council,” the leader of Opposition said.