Chennai, June 4 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday announced that it will not participate in the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on June 8, citing resentment within the party over what it described as the Congress “betrayal” following the recent Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In a strongly worded statement, the DMK said it had been invited to attend the meeting of the India bloc partners but had decided to stay away in deference to the sentiments of its cadre, who remain deeply hurt by developments involving the Congress after the Assembly polls.

The party reiterated its long-standing commitment to defending democracy, secularism and the rights of states, and said it had consistently opposed policies and measures that it believed undermined these principles. It listed issues such as the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), constituency delimitation, the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the functioning of the Election Commission, the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, amendments to the Waqf Act, and changes to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) among matters on which it had taken a firm stand.

According to the DMK, it has pursued these issues through democratic means, including debates in Parliament, interventions in legislative bodies when in power, public campaigns and legal action whenever necessary.

The party also highlighted its role in the formation and functioning of the INDIA bloc, describing itself as one of the grouping’s central pillars from its inception.

It noted that DMK President M.K. Stalin had been a prominent voice on issues of national importance and that the party’s contributions to the opposition alliance were well recognised by fellow member parties.

However, the statement said that the feelings of party workers could not be ignored in the wake of what it termed the Congress party’s conduct after the Tamil Nadu elections. As a result, the DMK has chosen not to attend a meeting in which Congress will be a participant, it said.

Despite its decision to boycott the June 8 gathering, the DMK stressed that it remains committed to raising its voice on matters affecting national interests and would continue to express its views on issues discussed by the opposition bloc and other political parties.

–IANS

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