Stalin claims Centre asked state to consider discontinuing bonus for paddy, FM Sitharaman hits back

Chenna: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were engaged in a sharp social media exchange over the Centre's missive to states on bonus for paddy, with the former alleging the Centre had asked Tamil Nadu to review its existing bonus policy and consider discontinuing it.

The central minister argued Stalin "chose to misinterpret" the letter.

Stalin claimed Sitharaman's assertion that many states agreed to this demand was a "blatant lie," even as the FM uploaded the said letter on 'X' and stated the CM himself would have shared the communication had it strengthened his case.

Reacting to the FM uploading a copy of the letter on the Centre's advisory to states on reconsidering bonus for paddy and wheat in view of bumper production, after Stalin sought it to be placed in the public domain, he said that she had "only exposed her own falsehood."

In a verbal duel on the social media platform 'X' between them, the Chief Minister said "Hon'ble Tmt. @NSitharaman, If what you claimed is true, you could have simply released the letter without any explanation. That alone would have been enough for people to read it and understand the truth for themselves."

"Instead, by writing such a long explanation and then releasing the letter, you have only exposed your own falsehood. You have also claimed that most of the state governments across India have agreed to your demand that no additional bonus should be given for paddy. This is a blatant lie," he claimed.

In February, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had publicly stated his position on this, he added.

Earlier in the day, Stalin said the Centre asked Tamil Nadu to review its existing bonus policy and consider discontinuing it on paddy and asked the Union Finance Minister whether she was willing to place the letter in this regard in public domain.

Hours after his post on 'X', Sitharaman uploaded a copy of the letter on her social media platform and said building food security required a constructive, continuous and positive engagement on agriculture with all stakeholders.

"However, CM Thiru @mkstalin appears to continue with what he and his party are good at - draw a wedge between centre and states, create false narratives and project themselves as the protectors of farmers and other Tamil people," she said.

Expanding domestic production of pulses and oilseeds was not only an economic necessity but also a strategic need, she argued.

"Doesn't he know that huge imports of palm oil is because our demand for edible oil is not adequately met with oilseeds supply? Similar is the issue with pulses. Farmers can get better prices for crops in which there is a supply-demand gap. Clearly, farmers' interest is not in CM Stalin's mind," Sitharaman said flaying the CM.

By encouraging the production of pulses, oilseeds, and millets, India aimed to achieve the twin objectives of "nutritional security" through improved access to protein-rich crops and "economic stability" by reducing the edible oil import bill.

The communication to the states was an invitation to share the responsibility of national food security, she said, and added that state governments across party lines understood this and responded in the spirit of cooperative federalism.

"Only CM Thiru Stalin chose to sensationalise it. True food sovereignty is only possible when the Centre and States work together to replace water-intensive surpluses with the essential crops India actually needs," Sitharaman said in the post.

Instead of wasting time on anti-Centre rhetoric, Stalin should explain to the people of Tamil Nadu why he was effectively giving away opportunities to foreign interests rather than making us self-reliant in pulses and oilseeds.

"It is surprising that CM Thiru Stalin has thrown a challenge on putting out the letter written by Secretary, Expenditure, to all states. He has received it. He has chosen to misinterpret it. He would have himself put it up, if it strengthens his case. But no, he didn't. By throwing up a challenge, he has exhibited false bravado. We have no hesitation in giving the link to the letter," Sitharaman further said.

Any chief minister with even a passing commitment to national interest would welcome this. Instead, he chose to distort a constructive suggestion into a manufactured grievance - because for the DMK, India's strategic requirements were not a concern, they were an opportunity to score political points, she claimed.

Earlier, in another post she said the chief minister's allegation that Centre directed TN not to provide incentives for paddy cultivation, as "factually baseless, politically motivated, and a deliberate distortion designed to mislead the farmers of Tamil Nadu." The letter dated January 9, 2026, communicated to all states by the Union Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, was on aligning the bonus policy to promote pulses, oilseeds and millets, in line with the national priorities for nutritional security, Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) and sustainable agriculture, she said. "It was advisory and not a directive," she stressed.

In his post, Stalin said, "In the letter your ministry sent to the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, it is clearly stated that since the state's additional bonus for paddy has led to bumper production, the state government should consider discontinuing the bonus." "While you have stated in your tweet that it is up to the state governments to consider bonus above MSP (minimum support price) to paddy farmers and nobody has taken away such rights, the letter sent to us clearly asked us to review the existing bonus policy of the state government and consider discontinuing the bonus on paddy. If your current claim is true, will you place that letter in the public domain," Stalin asked.