The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union government to positively consider the request of the Tamil Nadu government immediately to send food and other essential commodities, including life saving medicines from Tamil Nadu to the people of Sri Lanka, who are facing severe hardships, due to the economic crisis there.
Though the Tamil Nadu government addressed the Union government to permit the State Government to send essential commodities, including rice, pulses and milk products and life saving medicines to the people of Sri Lanka, “so far no clear reply has been received from the Government of India” in this regard, the resolution read. All political parties represented in the House, including the BJP, supported the resolution moved by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to send 40,000 tonne of rice valued at ₹80 crore, 137 medicines valued at ₹28 crore and 500 tonne of milk powder meant for children valued at ₹15 crore for the people of Sri Lanka. “These could not be sent directly but only through the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka,” the chief minister pointed out and recalled his meetings with the Prime Minister and communicated with Union External Affairs Minister in this regard.
Elaborating on the hardships being experienced by people in Sri Lanka, Mr. Stalin contended: “We cannot view this as a problem in a neighbouring country. We cannot see who is in power there and what kind of people they are. We have to extend our help to the extent possible.” Though he initially wanted to help Tamils living in Sri Lanka, Tamils in the neighbouring Island urged the CM against sending help only for Tamils in Sri Lanka (and excluding the Sinhalese), he said.
Quoting from the Thirukkural -- ‘As hand of him whose vesture slips away, friendship at once the coming grief will stay’ (Couplet 788), Mr. Stalin contended that help on humanitarian grounds was to be extended while they were in need. “The people of Tamil Nadu are expecting the same.”
Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Congress legislator K. Selvaperunthagai (Sriperumbudur), PMK’s G.K. Mani (Pennagaram), BJP’s Nainar Nagenthran (Tirunelveli), VCK’s J. Mohamed Shanavas (Nagapattinam), CPM’s V.P. Nagaimaali (Kilvelur), CPI’s K. Marimuthu (Tiruthuraipoondi), Vasudevanallur MLA T. Sathan Thirumalai Kumar, Papanasam MLA M.H. Jawahirullah, Thiruchengodu MLA E.R. Eswaran, Panruti MLA T. Velmurugan and K.V. Kuppam MLA M. Jagan Moorthy spoke in support of the resolution.
Following a voice vote, Speaker M. Appavu declared that the resolution was adopted unanimously.
