Speaking to reporters here, Rajaa, in response to a question, asked: “From where did UP get money? Is it internal development? We have grown across sectors and TN accounts for 15 per cent of total factory workers of the country.” Further, he said: “Investments secured is to the tune of about 11.32 lakh crore. During the last 3-4 years alone, about 35 lakh job opportunities have been created and it is according to Central government data and the economy booms.” When the national growth rate is 6-7 per cent, Tamil Nadu has grown by 11.19 per cent.
“The funds received by Uttar Pradesh is the union government’s largesse and it is not even that, it is Tamil Nadu’s funds (tax contribution); Uttar Pradesh lives its life from Tamil Nadu’s funds and this is the truth.” When TN gives one rupee in tax the state gets back only 29 paisa in return and where does the rest go? It goes to states like Uttar Pradesh. “They are spinning a story claiming surplus from our funds and this claim is wrong,” he claimed.
The minister, while commenting on the difference between being a woman in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in the country, said that in northern states a woman is usually asked only about her husband’s job.
Addressing an event at a noted women’s college here, Rajaa said in Tamil Nadu, however, the scenario is different. In Tamil Nadu alone, a woman is asked about her educational accomplishments and her job.
“This does not happen overnight, it has taken a century of work at least in Tamil Nadu,” he said, outlining the work of Dravidian movement leaders, including Periyar EV Ramasamy.
Of all the women working in factories across India in the organised sector, 43 per cent are from Tamil Nadu.
“This is an extremely proud number,” he said, adding, “the rest of India is not giving enough importance to our women.”
