Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Raises Key Southern-State Issues

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has raised a series of key demands concerning water rights, education, federal representation and economic development at the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting in Tamil Nadu. He called for the implementation of Supreme Court judgments and authority decisions relating to Cauvery water and sought a complete exemption for Tamil Nadu from NEET. He also proposed that state-quota MBBS, BDS and AYUSH seats be filled based on Class 12 marks.

Vijay also voiced concern that population-based delimitation could reduce the political representation of southern states that have successfully implemented population-control measures. He sought a legal assurance that their representation in Parliament would not decline. Beyond these issues, he called for fairer fiscal devolution after GST, greater cooperation among southern states on infrastructure and logistics, faster progress on the Bommasandra-Hosur Metro extension, stronger coordination to create a drug-free South India, and greater focus on ports, coastal shipping, fisheries and marine tourism. He said Tamil Nadu, with its 1,076-km coastline, is ready to contribute to the blue economy. He also stressed that differences between states should be resolved through mutual respect, dialogue and the rule of law, arguing that strong states are essential for building a strong India.