Chennai, April 15, 2025 – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced Tuesday a high-level committee to push for greater state autonomy, accusing the Centre of eroding federal rights. Led by retired Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph, with ex-IAS officers Ashok Vardhan Shetty and M Naganathan, the panel will probe Union-state relations, aiming to shift powers like education from the Concurrent to State List. An interim report is due by January 2026, with a final one by 2028, Stalin told the Assembly (Hindustan Times).
The move, under Rule 110, follows a Supreme Court win against Governor RN Ravi, who delayed 10 bills—now law—on university reforms (The Indian Express). Stalin slammed the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP), alleging Hindi imposition and Rs 2,500 crore in withheld funds for rejecting it (The Hindu). “NEET’s killed our kids—we want control,” he said, citing Tamil Nadu’s push to scrap the exam (Times of India). X buzzes—“Stalin’s fighting for us!”—but BJP’s Annamalai jabbed, “DMK’s just grandstanding” (post:2).
Rooted in DMK’s Dravidian ethos, Stalin’s echoing M Karunanidhi’s 1969 Rajamannar panel, which sought state power (India Today). Tamil Nadu’s 7.6 crore people—8% of India’s GDP—crave leverage (TN Census, 2024). The panel will study Concurrent List shifts, like education’s 1976 move (The Economic Times). “It’s not anti-Union—it’s pro-federalism,” a DMK aide told Business Standard. Yet, with 2026 polls looming, BJP sees vote-bank bait—39% of Tamil Nadu’s voters backed DMK in 2021 (ECI).
For India, it’s a federal flashpoint—states like Kerala echo Stalin’s cry (The Hindu). Will this panel reshape power, or just rile the Centre?
