Emphasising the need for a flexible policy framework for India, Tamil Nadu Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Udhayanidhi Stalin has said that one-size-fits-all approach will not work for a vast and diverse country like India.
Inaugurating the valedictory function of the Kannur University Literature Festival on the main campus of the varsity at Thavakara on Wednesday, Mr. Stalin said the Centre should form a broader policy framework and provide sufficient space to States to design and implement schemes that were suitable to the needs of the people.
He said such an approach would allow States to adopt and innovate.
Mr. Stalin highlighted the importance of cross-learning among States, citing the example of Tamil Nadu’s gross enrollment ratio in colleges, surpassing that of the US and matching Scandinavian countries. He attributed it to the Dravidian model of governance and said that such achievements could serve as valuable lessons for other States.
Advocating for cooperative federalism, Stalin expressed concern at the recent trend of centralisation of power by the Union government.
“For past few years the Union government is using all possible means to centralise power and dictate terms to States. It is using independent investigation agencies to hunt down its political opponents,” he said.
Stalin also recalled the historical association between leaders of the Dravidian movement and Kerala, emphasising the rich literary history shared by Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
He also urged the government to promote political tourism in Kannur, acknowledging the cultural and political richness of Kerala.
Kannur University Vice-Chancellor Gopinath Ravindran, K.V. Sumesh, MLA, and CPI(M) leader M.V. Jayarajan spoke on the occasion.
