Multi-Party Alliance In Tamil Nadu Vows Supreme Court Battle Against Centre's 'SIR' Overreach

a multi-party meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday resolved to petition the Supreme Court to challenge the Central government's notification designating seven Tamil Nadu districts as a 'Special Invited Region' (SIR) under the proposed Chennai-Ahmedabad Industrial Corridor. The decision, aimed at safeguarding the state's autonomy and environmental interests, brings together an eclectic coalition of DMK, Congress, CPI, CPM, VCK, MDMK, and other secular parties, signaling a concerted front against what participants decried as federal overreach.

The gathering, held at the state secretariat in Chennai, was attended by over a dozen leaders from Tamil Nadu's opposition and allied parties, underscoring the gravity of the SIR issue. Chief Minister Stalin, who chaired the proceedings, lambasted the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry's October 28 notification as a "backdoor attempt to impose Gujarat's development model on Tamil Nadu's fertile lands." The SIR, part of the ambitious National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, would encompass districts like Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Thirupattur, Vellore, and Tirupattur, potentially unlocking ₹1.5 lakh crore in investments but raising alarms over land acquisition, water scarcity, and ecological damage in the drought-prone region.

"This is not development; it's destruction disguised as progress," Stalin asserted in his opening address, flanked by Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin and Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu. He accused the BJP-led Centre of bypassing state consultations, violating the federal spirit enshrined in the Constitution. "The SIR notification ignores Tamil Nadu's resolutions against it and treats our state as a mere appendage to Delhi's whims," he added, vowing that the multi-party delegation would file a writ petition in the apex court by mid-November, seeking to quash the order and demand prior legislative approval.

CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan highlighted the SIR's threat to small farmers and agricultural heartlands, drawing parallels to the controversial Sterling & Wilson land deals in the past. "This corridor will displace thousands and divert Cauvery waters to industrial giants, leaving our people parched," Mutharasan warned, while CPM's K. Balakrishnan called for nationwide solidarity against "corporate federalism." Congress Legislature Party leader K. Selvaperunthagai pledged full support, framing the legal challenge as a defence of Dravidian self-respect, and VCK founder Thol Thirumavalavan urged the inclusion of Dalit voices in the petition to address potential caste-based inequities in rehabilitation.

The meeting also adopted a joint resolution outlining immediate action plans: forming a legal team led by senior advocates to draft the Supreme Court plea, launching statewide awareness campaigns, and organizing dharnas in affected districts. MDMK general secretary Vaiko, a vocal critic of Centre-state relations, proposed escalating the matter to the Inter-State Council if judicial recourse falters. The alliance's cohesion is particularly noteworthy amid Tamil Nadu's polarized politics, where DMK's ruling Dravidian Progressive Federation holds sway but faces NDA overtures in the lead-up to the 2026 assembly polls.