AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday demanded that the State government release the Haj grant of ₹ 10 crore immediately and provide an additional amount of ₹1,500 per pilgrim for their stay and food in Kochi.
In a statement, Mr. Palaniswami said the Centre had sanctioned only 1,750 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu for Haj, and the pilgrims should depart from the Kochi airport. He found fault with the State government for not applying pressure on the Centre to get Chennai and Tiruchi approved as points of departure.
He recalled that in 2020, the number of Haj pilgrims sanctioned for Tamil Nadu was nearly 3,000. Other States such as Kerala and Karnataka had been able to get a higher proportion of Haj pilgrims cleared by the Centre, he said.
In another statement, AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam criticised the State government for, according to him, seeking to close down kindergarten classroom sections in government schools. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi’s observations on who would teach the children in the sections was not clear. The latest move of the government would pave the way for reduced enrolment of students in primary schools of the government and the eventual commercialisation of education, he said.
Mr. Palaniswami wanted Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to intervene and ensure the restoration of the earlier position, in the interest of social justice.
