Coimbatore Metro Refusal Sparks Accusations of Political Retribution Against Centre
Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam founder V. Eswaran claims the Union government is punishing Coimbatore for its 2024 election results by rejecting the Metro Rail project. Protesters were detained after highlighting that cities lower on the 2011 priority list have already received funding.
Funding Denials and Political Broken Promises
V. Eswaran, founder of the Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam (MMI), publicly condemned the Union government and the BJP on Monday, alleging a deliberate betrayal of Coimbatore regarding its Metro Rail infrastructure. During a demonstration at Race Course, Eswaran argued that the rejection of Tamil Nadu’s revised proposal serves as a punitive measure following the BJP’s loss in the city during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The MMI leader pointed to specific campaign pledges made by the BJP, noting that leader Vanathi Srinivasan had explicitly assured voters the project would proceed under a returned NDA government. Eswaran characterized the recent refusal as a dismissal of taxpayer contributions from the region.
The 2011 Priority List Disparity
Analysis of historical data reveals a significant gap between Coimbatore's infrastructure status and other Indian cities. Eswaran noted the following milestones from the 2011 central list of 21 earmarked metro projects:
- Coimbatore was ranked 16th on the original priority list.
- Kochi and Patna were ranked lower at 17th and 18th respectively.
- Kochi and Patna have already seen their Metro systems implemented or approved.
Eswaran expressed frustration that tax revenue from Coimbatore is being redirected to develop transit networks in cities like Agra and Patna while his city remains excluded from the national grid.
Escalation of Civil Disobedience
The protest at the Income Tax office ended with police detaining approximately 30 activists who chanted slogans against the Prime Minister and the central administration. This demonstration marks the beginning of an intensified campaign. Eswaran announced that MMI will now adopt a policy of showing black flags to any Union Minister visiting Coimbatore. Furthermore, the organization plans to escalate their grievances to the national level with a scheduled protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Source: The Hindu — Cities
