News Tamil Nadu

“Can We Say He’s Enjoying Power Because Of His Dad’s Assets?”: Nirmala Sitharaman Attacks DMK Scion Udhayanidhi Stalin’s ‘Are We Asking Your Dad’s Money’ Remark

December 22, 2023
The Commune

On 22 December 2023, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman conducted a press conference to provide insights into the Central Government’s actions in response to the recent floods affecting Chennai and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

She said that the Centre has disbursed ₹900 crore in two installments for Tamil Nadu in the current fiscal year.

Commenting on the DMK government’s to give ₹6000 as relief amount, Sitharaman expressed her concern over the mode of payment, questioning why the funds were being disbursed in cash rather than through direct benefit transfer. She asserted, “This is government money, not my father’s money or your father’s money.”

The Finance Minister’s comments came in response to a remark made by DMK Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin who had said “Are we asking their father’s money? We’re asking to give back our money”.

Sitharaman retaliated, accusing Udhayanidhi of consistently using derogatory language. Drawing parallels to a previous controversy about eradication of Sanatana Dharma, she said, “This is the pattern of their language; even during the Sanatana dharma controversy, he employed similar expressions.

“Those asking ‘Is it your dad’s money?’, can we similarly say he is enjoying power because of his dad’s assets? Can we ask like that? He has ben elected by the people and we give him the due respect for that. These talks like ‘unga appan, unga aatha’ (derogatory way of saying your father, your mother), these kind of talks are not good in politics. He wishes to progress further in politics right? That family is also aspiring right? The language they use. His grandfather was such a big Tamil scholar. The words that come through the tongue should be measured in accordance with the position they hold.“, she said.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.