Sitharaman accuses Stalin of ‘false narrative’ over Centre’s farm bonus advisory

Accusing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin of "false narratives", regarding the issue of the Centre's advisory on bonus to wheat and paddy farmers, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday (April 13) said that the DMK was trying to falsely project itself as the protector of farmers and Tamil people.

The Union Finance Minister, taking to X, accused Stalin of coming up with a distorted interpretation the January 9 letter written by Expenditure Secretary V Vualnam to all state governments, stating that while most of the state governments, across party lines, were able to understand the good intention behind the letter and their response was in line with thee the spirit of cooperative federalism, Stalin decided to "sensationalise" it.

Advisory flags surplus, suggests policy shift

Citing the mounting surplus of wheat and paddy in central stocks, the Finance Ministry, in its January 9 communication, urged state governments to take a fresh look at their bonus regimes.

Also Read: TN delimitation row: Stalin warns Modi against turning ‘calm South into storm'

The note suggested that states may consider rolling back additional incentives on wheat and paddy procurement, and instead redirect support toward pulses, oilseeds and millets, crops the Centre has been pushing in the context of nutrition security, Atmanirbharta and longer-term agricultural sustainability.

“In view of the above, I request you to review the existing bonus policy of the State Government and consider discontinuing the bonus on wheat and paddy. It is requested that attention be shifted towards incentives to promote pulses, oilseeds and millets, in line with national priorities for nutrition security, Atmanirbharta and sustainable agriculture,” stated the letter.

Stalin’s challenge and Sitharaman’s response

Although framed as an advisory, Stalin, in a post on X, claimed the Centre had “clearly asked” states to revisit their existing bonus structures and consider discontinuing incentives on paddy. He went on to challenge Sitharaman to release the January 9 letter in full.

Also Read: As long as DMK is in power, there will be no three-language policy in TN: CM Stalin

Sitharaman responded by making the document public on X, describing the outreach as an “invitation” to states to share responsibility for national food security. She added that the challenge itself reflected what she called the “false bravado” of Stalin.

“Any Chief Minister with even a passing commitment to national interest would welcome this. Instead, CM Thiru Stalin chose to distort a constructive suggestion into a manufactured grievance because for the DMK, India's strategic requirements are not a concern, they are an opportunity to score political points,” she said.

Self-reliance pitch and political charge

Sitharaman urged Stalin to move away from what she described as anti-Centre rhetoric and instead clarify to people in Tamil Nadu why, in her view, opportunities to strengthen domestic capacity in pulses and oilseeds were being ceded, leaving room for foreign dependence rather than self-reliance.

Also Read: Stalin terms CBSE’s three-language policy a ‘covert mechanism’ to impose Hindi

She argued that reliance on imports for essential food items exposes the country to global price swings and supply disruptions, an arrangement she said is untenable for an economy of India’s scale. Increasing domestic output of pulses and oilseeds, she maintained, is not just an economic requirement but a strategic imperative.

“CM Thiru @mkstalin appears to continue with what he and his party are good at, draw a wedge between centre and states, create false narratives and project themselves as the protectors of farmers and other Tamil people,” Sitharaman said.