The Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on Friday passed a resolution urging the central government to permit the government of Tamil Nadu to send essential items to crisis-hit Sri Lanka. The chief minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin introduced the resolution which was supported by all the political parties present in the assembly and passed unanimously.
The resolution reads, “The government of Tamil Nadu has addressed the Government of India to permit the state government to send essential commodities, including rice, pulses, and milk products and life-saving medicines, to the people of Sri Lanka who are now suffering due to the severe economic crisis there. But so far no clear reply has been received from the government of India in this regard, hence, the House resolves to urge the central government to positively consider the request of the Tamil Nadu government to immediately send food and other essential commodities including life-saving medicines from Tamil Nadu to the people of Sri Lanka, who are facing severe hardships.” Emotions were high in the assembly with AIADMK leader and former CM O Panneerselvam pledged to give ₹50 lakh for the cause of Sri Lanka. Speaking on the resolution the chief minister MK Stalin argued that as Sri Lanka is a close neighbor, India cannot just see the situation unfolding and must extend humanitarian aid. As per the government, the state of Tamil Nadu is ready to provide shipments of 40,000 tonnes of rice, 137 types of life-saving drugs, and 500 tonnes of milk powder for children.
The island nation of Sri Lanka is going through its worst economic crisis since 1948 as the government is in a huge deficit leading to a shortage of essential goods and fuel. Sri Lanka had asked for help from all the major powers including India and global financial institutions.