Inaugurating an arts and science college for women in Tiruppur established by the Kongu Vellalar Trust on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin took a dig at AIADMK Ministers for reportedly not having helped in setting up the college during their regime.
“Permission could not be obtained even though 28 acres of land were purchased to establish a college to be named after [late freedom fighter] Dheeran Chinnamalai. During the erstwhile AIADMK regime, permission could not be obtained despite nine people from this western region being Ministers”, Mr. Stalin said, while virtually addressing the inauguration event. He also inaugurated the Dheeran Chinnamalai CBSE School.
Only after the DMK came to power, did Tiruppur MP K. Subbarayan pursue the request of the Trust, Mr. Stalin said. “I monitored the issue personally and removed the obstacle in the land classification as the first step towards establishing the college.” Eventually, necessary permission was granted by the Higher Education Department.
Though he wanted to inaugurate the college in person, he could not travel due to health reasons, the CM said. “Not just me, Kalaignar [former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi] has also toiled for the Kongu region” he said and recalled how Mr. Subbarayan had made a request to establish another women’s college, which then CM Karunanidhi accepted.
Mr. Stalin added that Karunanidhi considered the plea of Mr. Subbarayan and withdrew the tax that was ailing the textile industry around Tiruppur. “It was Kalaignar who was instrumental in declaring the Kongu Vellalars as a backward community”, Mr. Stalin said and said the DMK was working towards the development and empowerment of women in this region.
Recalling the contributions of the Dravidian movement and great leaders in ensuring education in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Stalin said those efforts were the reason the State has many graduates now. “The young people of Tamil Nadu should make use of educational opportunities. Women, in particular, should pursue higher education,” he said.
Mr. Stalin also called upon social organisations to serve in the education and health sectors and insisted that they should extend their services by charging low rates, or providing their services free of cost.
