Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 17 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly session commenced on Tuesday at the Secretariat, during which the Interim Financial Statement and the Agriculture Interim Financial Statement were tabled.

Following this, a Business Advisory Committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of Speaker Appavu.

Later, addressing the media, the Assembly Speaker M Appavu said that the session will continue till Friday. He added that a discussion on the Interim Financial Statement will be held today and tomorrow. On Friday, the reply will be delivered by the ministers.

'The Assembly session would continue until February 20. The discussion on the Interim Financial Statement will take place tomorrow and the day after. There will also be a Question Hour on both days. This will be followed by the ministers delivering their replies on Friday,' the speaker said.

Responding to a question about whether the song 'Vande Mataram' must be mandatorily sung at events attended by the Governor, Appavu said that, as per the tradition of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the Governor delivers his address, and prior to that, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu' is sung. He stated that this is the established practice of the Assembly.

Appavu said that proceedings of the Legislative Assembly are broadcast live to the maximum extent possible, including Question Hour, ministers' replies, and special resolutions moved by the Chief Minister. The speeches of the Leader of the Opposition are also telecast live, and nothing is cut.

When asked when the proceedings would be broadcast in the same manner as in Parliament, Appavu responded by saying that in Parliament, the Speaker can tell even the Prime Minister not to speak; can such a situation arise here?

He added that democracy functions here in a manner even better than in Parliament.

Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the State is facing unprecedented fiscal challenges due to the actions of the Union Government, alleging denial of funds, a reduction in tax revenues, and the imposition of conditions that have strained Tamil Nadu's finances.

Speaking in the assembly while presenting the interim budget, Thennarasu said that in a federal polity, States have often been treated unfairly, but the scale of challenges Tamil Nadu faces in the current financial year is unprecedented.

He said the Union Government has denied sanctions for major infrastructure projects, withheld funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes, curtailed tax revenues without consultation and imposed conditions mandating expenditure, thereby creating artificial fiscal stress for the State. (ANI)