CHENNAI: State school education minister Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Friday announced that he would bear the education expenses of the class XII Dalit student and his younger sister who were brutally attacked allegedly by their classmates belonging to intermediate castes in Nanguneri.

In a five-minute video posted on his social media page, Poyyamozhi said that he spoke to brother and sister over phone. "The education expenses of the brother and sister would be borne by me. I will get them admitted to a good school and college. It is my duty as a school education minister, " the minister said.

Treat your classmates as brothers and friends:

"Like I treat every student as my brother and sister, you (students) must treat fellow students as brothers and friends and embrace everyone. Focus on your education. Never cultivate discriminatory attitudes. This type of incident should not happen in the future. Make the Chief Minister and our state proud. I am not saying this as a minister, but one of your own, your brother. Let us vow to create a new society, " Poyyamozhi said, citing the celebration of the centenary of the Vaikkom struggle led by 'c by the state government.

"When you come to school, we wish to sharpen your minds and thoughts, not send you to juvenile homes. Some incidents disturb us a lot. Sometimes, it tires us, " he remarked, requesting "my brothers and sisters" to see to it that such incidents never happen.