Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Tuesday that the State government would offer help to students belonging to the minority communities if the Union government does not resume the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF), which was discontinued recently.
“We have been writing to the Centre, urging it to resume the scholarship. You have waited so far. Let us wait for some more time. If the Centre is not inclined to take any decision, the State government will consider your request and will help,” he said, speaking at the Christmas celebrations organised by Inigo Irudhyaraj, DMK MLA and founder of Christhuva Nallenna Iyakkam.
As for the issue of appointment of teachers to schools run by the minority communities, the Chief Minister pointed out that the matter was in court. “But you should keep in mind that I fulfilled your demand during the previous DMK government. I will not give up on you,” he said.
Mr. Stalin also touched upon the issue of reservation for Adi Dravidars who had converted to Christianity. “The issue is also pending before court. But I would like to remind you that the DMK government extended all benefits to the Christians among the Adi Dravidas between 2006 and 2011,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the government had already increased the assistance given to nuns who went on a pilgrimage to Israel.
He said that what remained the identity of his government was free bus ride for women, re-admission of two lakh children to schools, medical facilities to the poor and schemes for the benefit of Narikuravas, transgenders and all those who were on the margins of society.
Peter Alphonse, chairman of the State Minorities Commission, said the Chief Minister had not participated in the function with an eye on the votes of the minority communities. “But the parties that organised the celebrations in the last couple of days were those that had filed an affidavit against reservation for the minority communities, arguing that they were not Indians. The only leader who paid homage to Stan Swamy [a tribal rights activist] is the Chief Minister, though former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami was also invited to the event,” he said.
Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi participated.
