Allot funds to celebrate Kamaraj’s birth anniv as Edu Development Day: TNCC to State govt

“Education was accessible only to the elite before Kamaraj’s chief ministership, but he engineered a revolution in education by making it free for poor and introducing mid-day meal scheme to steer the Tamil society in the path of progress,” Alagiri said in a statement, adding that Kamaraj was lauded by Periyar for the same reason.

Former CM M Karunanidhi had enacted a legislation in 2006 to celebrate Kamaraj’s birthday as the Education Development Day as a tribute to Congress veteran and allotted Rs 1.47 crore for the same, the TNCC chief recalled.

However, the observance of Education Development Day was ignored ever since the AIADMK returned to power thereafter, Alagiri alleged. Adding that Kamaraj’s birthday was being ignored only due to lack of interest on the part of the AIADMK, Alagiri advised the ruling AIADMK to change its attitude and allot necessary funds for celebrating the ensuing July 15. Recapping Kamaraj’s rise from a humble beginning to the position of AICC president when he was instrumental in selection of two Prime Ministers in post-Nehru era, Alagiri remarked that if the AIADMK regime does not oblige it would only be construed as a major betrayal to the fame of Kamaraj.

While speaking at Madurai airport, Alagiri said that Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s statement that Congress-DMK coalition was behind the introduction of NEET was not true. He also alleged that the Chief Minister was diverting from dealing with NEET issue and added that the Congress party in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections stated that NEET would be subject to arbitrary discretion of State governments. He also that after NEET was introduced, only those who can afford training in private coaching centres could become doctors. Citing the ill effects of NEET, Alagiri said both Congress and its key ally DMK stood together against NEET, which would not benefit the majority of students in the society.