Vaigaiselvan hails DMK for appointing Chezhiaan higher edu minister
Vaigaiselvan said, "Can't be without appreciating for appointing a person from Scheduled Caste as Minister for Higher Education."
L-R: Chief Minister M K Stalin and Governor R N Ravi with debutant minister Dr Govi Chezhiaan. The Dalit leader has been allocated the coveted higher education portfolio (Photo: Manivasagan.N)
CHENNAI: A day after Govi Chezhiaan took oath as a Minister along with three others, AIADMK spokesperson and former minister Vaigaiselvan appreciated the DMK leadership for giving him the portfolio of higher education.
The former school education minister took to social media to congratulate Chezhiaan.
"Myself and Govi Chezhiaan received doctorate on the same day. I had served as a school education minister. Now, he has become the Minister for Higher Education. My heartfelt appreciation to him!"
Without taking the name of the DMK leader MK Stalin and his leadership for the move to give an important portfolio to a person from an oppressed section of the society, Vaigaiselvan said, "Can't be without appreciating for appointing a person from Scheduled Caste as Minister for Higher Education."
When contacted, Vaigaiselvan told DT Next that he and Govi Chezhiaan received a doctorate on November 4, 2011 from the then Governor K Rosaiah. They announced that two MLAs were receiving their doctorate.
"I was made as government chief whip 10 months after I received my doctorate and elevated as Minister for School Education, Youth Welfare and Tamil Culture. Only tall leaders like Amma (J Jayalalithaa) and MGR can give such important posts to minorities and the oppressed class. Since DMK leader MK Stalin achieved continuous victory on the electoral fronts, he managed to achieve such a feat by elevating Govi Chezhiaan as a minister and giving him important portfolio like Higher Education," he said.
On criticism for his post, he said, "I feel like posting it as there's nothing wrong in appreciating good deeds."
The social media post from the camp of the DMK's arch-rival and principal opposition party received an overwhelming response.
Netizens welcomed the gesture of Vaigaiselvan for expressing his views on social media and appreciating CM Stalin's move to increase the number of ministerial berths to SC to four and give important portfolios to them.
Hitherto, the portfolio of Adi Dravidar Welfare was reserved for leaders from SC.
He also attracted criticism for his post, while recalling that Dalit leader P Kakkan held PWD and Home Ministry in the Congress government.