DMK MPs instructed to raise issue of BBC documentary in Parliament

Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin has asked the party’s members in Parliament to raise the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and othr important issues including the Hindenburg Research report on Adani's alleged stock exchange manipulation.The Union budget session is set to begin on Tuesday, and the DMK called for a meeting where seniors including Stalin and party general secretary Duraimurugan gave instructions to the party’s MPs on the issues to be taken up in both houses.The MPs were asked to take up issues that have recently bothered the BJP. "Our party leader was keen on the MPs taking up the issues concerning BJP such as the BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots, the report on Adani and the Union government trying to change the fundamentals of the Indian constitution. We were also asked to have clarity on all the issues and also to question the silence of the Union government on the Adani issue," said an MP, who attended the meeting.Another MP, who attended the meeting, said they were directed to raise the issues concerning Tamil Nadu. “The NEET exemption bill is pending for more than a year and we were asked to take up the issue. Since the resolution on Sethusamudram shipping canal project was passed recently in the state assembly, we were directed to take up this issue as well for debate based on the resolution passed,” said the MP. On January 12, the Tamil Nadu assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to implement Sethusamudram ship channel project without further delay. It said the state government would provide all cooperation for implementing the project, “essential for the economic development of Tamil Nadu and India”.The DMK MPs were asked to speak and to pass motions on other important issues concerning the state such as giving preference for Tamils in employment in NLC and the Union government offices in Tamil Nadu; to protect Tamil fishermen and their boats from Sri Lankan Navy; to accord international airport status for Madurai airport and to raise the issue of pre-matric scholarship for students of minority communities.