OPS charges DMK for taking credits for development of higher edu in State

CHENNAI: AIADMK coordinator and former chief minister O Panneerselvam on Thursday claimed that DMK taking credit for his party's contributions to higher education in the State.

The AIADMK leader's statement came against the backdrop of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's recent statement that school education flourished during former Congress leader K Kamaraj's period and it was the golden era for higher education during M Karunanidhi time.

Panneerselvam, in a statement, claimed that the AIADMK had not only brought new courses in Arts, Science, Engineering, and Law but also increased the number of seats in the colleges.

"If Kamaraj had developed the school education, it was the M G Ramachandran, who introduced nutritious meal scheme," he said adding it was the "Amma" (J Jayalalithaa) who encouraged and developed the higher education.

Stating that during the AIADMK regime, a total of 22 medical colleges were opened, Panneerselvam said, "The credit goes to the AIADMK government for opening 11 medical colleges in one year and even Tamil Nadu MGR University was also established only during our period".

The deputy leader of the opposition in the House also claimed that during the AIADMK period, engineering colleges were opened in Tirunelveli, Erode, Krishnagiri, Theeni, Dharmapuri, Tanjavur, and Tiruchy besides establishing Anna University during M G Ramachandran's period.

Pointing out that a total of 16 government law colleges were opened across the State during AIADMK rule, Panneerselvam said "at the same time, national law college was also established in Trichy in 2012".

He said that the Indian Institute of Technology was set up in Srirangam only during Jayalalithaa's rule. "When "Amma" was in power, a total of Rs 100 crore was allocated to develop the infrastructure of government affiliated Science colleges across the State.

Panneerselvam also claimed that it was due to the effective steps by the then AIADMK government that student admissions in higher educational institutions have increased from 32.9% in 2010-2011 to 51.4% in 2019-2020.

"Even the new National Education Policy (NEP) has indicated that the country's student's admission in higher education will increase by 50% in 2030," he said adding, however, our State has attained this figure ten years before.

"Therefore, it is condemnable that DMK had hidden the AIADMK's achievement and claiming credit for it," he said.