Funding Friction: Puducherry Assembly Walkout Over Alleged Neglect

Opposition legislators from the DMK and Congress walked out of the Puducherry Assembly, protesting the alleged neglect by the Centre in allocating funds. DMK leader R Siva criticized the lack of financial support, while the territory's government officials defended the Centre's contributions, highlighting recent cyclone and flood relief efforts.

In a dramatic turn of events, opposition legislators from the DMK and Congress staged a walkout from the Puducherry Assembly on Wednesday. The protest was centered around the alleged continued neglect by the central government in sanctioning necessary funds for the union territory.

Leading the protest, DMK opposition leader R Siva accused the Union government of failing to allocate adequate funds to meet Puducherry's budgetary commitments, highlighting the absence of support for infrastructure development and port expansion. Siva also criticized the Centre for not waiving loans owed by the Puducherry government, which he claimed was stifling the region's progress.

In response, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, along with other government officials, refuted the claims, underlining that the Centre had recently sanctioned significant relief funds following a cyclone. Despite assurances of adequate support, the opposition remained unconvinced, culminating in their exit from the assembly session.