Taking into account the fact that the State is taking steps for the development of Tamil, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the government to make an earnest effort by allocating more funds and conducting more programmes to familiarise Tamil literature.
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A Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and J. Sathya Narayana Prasad disposed of a public interest litigation petition filed in 2017 by advocate B. Stalin of Melur in Madurai district.
The petitioner had sought a direction to the State to take effective steps for the development of Tamil and ensure adequate infrastructure at the World Tamil Sangam in Madurai.
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He said the objective with which the World Tamil Sangam was established in Madurai had not been achieved. However, the Special Officer of the World Tamil Sangam, in a counter affidavit, submitted that various events were being organised and Tamil scholars were being felicitated at the World Tamil Sangam.
The World Tamil Sangam building was inaugurated in 2016 and the government had also issued a G.O. based on which books were being sent to the public libraries and World Tamil Sangam. There are more than 15,000 books at the World Tamil Sangam on various topics. The World Tamil Sangam is also periodically conducting International and National seminars, special lectures, workshops and other programmes. The government had also sanctioned funds for the renovation of the library at the World Tamil Sangam, it was submitted.
The State submitted that the library was brimming with students and book readers. Regular programmes, workshops, literary awareness programmes and competitions are also being conducted at the World Tamil Sangam. Funds has been sanctioned for strengthening the infrastructure facilities at the World Tamil Sangam.
Taking note of the submissions made, the court observed the State was taking steps for the development of Tamil and fulfilling the objective with which the World Tamil Sangam was established in Madurai.