Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Madurai MP Su Venkatesan said that the party will hold a rail blockade protest on August 1 against the lack of funds allocated to Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget 2024-25.

In a statement on Monday, July 29, he said that the protest will be held at Madurai, Ottakadi,Thirumangalam, and Usilampatti railway stations. He added that the Budget has led to major protests across the country as the BJP had announced special schemes for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar only.

Venkatesan also said that the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had allocated Rs 21,000 crore for flood control in the Kosi river in Bihar but only a few funds were allocated to Tamil Nadu even as Chennai, Tirunelveli, and Thoothukudi also received heavy rainfall and faced severe floods. He also alleged that the Union government had not released funds for the Chennai Metro rail project or the Madurai Metro project.

The CPI(M) leader further stated that the BJP government had opened up foreign capital to a great extent and affected domestic entrepreneurs and MSMEs.