RTI reveals Stalin spent Rs 7.12 cr on foreign trips; 2022 Dubai visit under fire

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2022 Dubai visit

Stalin’s first foreign trip as Chief Minister, from March 24 to March 28, 2022, to the UAE for the Dubai Expo, aimed to attract investments to Tamil Nadu.

The RTI document shows that the official delegation included 11 members, such as industries minister Thangam Thennarasu, CM secretary T Udhayachandran IAS, and personal secretary Dinesh Kumar.

However, reports suggest the total entourage exceeded 20 people, allegedly including family members like Stalin’s wife Durga Stalin, son Udhayanidhi Stalin (who was then an MLA, but subsequently was made a Cabinet minister), and daughter-in-law Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi.

'Family vacation'

This has led to accusations from Opposition parties, particularly the AIADMK, that the trip was a “family vacation” funded by the state exchequer.

AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar demanded a white paper on the trip’s expenses, stating, “Taxpayers deserve clarity on how their money was spent. Including family members in an official trip raises serious questions about the misuse of public funds.”

The Opposition claims the state bore the costs of accommodating and transporting non-essential personnel, further fuelling the controversy.

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Government responds

On March 22, 2022, Thangam Thennarasu responded to the criticism, announcing that the DMK party would cover the flight expenses of the delegation, including Stalin’s family members, to counter allegations of misusing public funds.

However, Kasimayan has dismissed this claim as inadequate. “The government has not provided a breakdown of the expenses covered by the DMK, nor clarified whether other costs – like accommodation, local travel, and security – were charged to the state. This lack of transparency fuels skepticism about the minister’s statement," he said.

RTI revelation

The expenditure details for Stalin’s foreign trips, obtained through an RTI response, reveal a significant omission for the Dubai visit. While costs for other trips were disclosed, the Dubai expenditure remains undisclosed, prompting accusations of deliberate opacity.

Kasimayan, who has been pursuing this information for three years, expressed frustration over the government’s response. “I requested full details of the chief minister’s foreign trip expenses, including the Dubai visit. Despite appeals, the Public Department, which maintains these accounts, has deliberately delayed sharing the Dubai expenses,” he said.

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He further criticised the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission, alleging that it has hesitated to take action against the Public Information Officer for violating the RTI Act. Kasimayan noted that Tamil Nadu State Chief Information Commissioner Thiru Md Shakeel Akhter, IPS (Retired), had ordered the department to release the details, but compliance has been lacking.

Why the denial?

The government’s refusal to disclose the CM's Dubai trip’s expenditure has led to speculation about its motives.

Analysts suggest that the administration may be avoiding scrutiny to prevent political backlash, especially given the allegations of family involvement and the large delegation. Another possibility is that the government lacks detailed records of the trip’s expenses, particularly if some costs were covered by the DMK party, as claimed.

Such a lapse, however, would reflect poorly on administrative accountability. Kasimayan has called for an independent audit, arguing that the denial violates the RTI Act’s mandate for transparency in public spending.

Investment claims vs reality

The government of Tamil Nadu had hailed the CM's trip to Dubai as a success, asserting that Stalin secured Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with six investors, amounting to ₹6,100 crore, which are expected to generate 15,100 jobs in sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and infrastructure.

However, a senior official from the Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau, who requested anonymity, indicated that the actual investment may be significantly lower, estimated between ₹3,660 crore and ₹4,270 crore, with job creation projected at 9,000 to 10,500.

This discrepancy is consistent with historical patterns, where typically only 60-70 per cent of MoU commitments are realised within a five-year period due to bureaucratic hurdles and other obstacles.

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A pattern of opacity?

The ongoing controversy mirrors a previous issue encountered during the former AIADMK administration.

An RTI document disclosed that in 2019, then-Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami travelled to Israel, the UK, the US, and the UAE with a delegation of 17 individuals, which included a minister and several bureaucrats.

The Tamil Nadu government incurred flight expenses amounting to ₹87 lakh; however, the Public Department declined to disclose additional costs, citing similar concerns regarding transparency.

"The most recent document from the Public Department indicated that the Tamil Nadu government has expended approximately ₹1.23 Crore only for EPS's USA trip, yet they did not provide complete data," stated Kasimayan.

This trend of withholding information across different administrations has heightened demands for stricter compliance with the RTI Act.