Karunanidhi unlikely to attend birthday fete: Stalin

Talking to reporters here, his son and DMK working president MK Stalin said, “In case if doctors give permission, there is a possibility of Karunanidhi participating in the function. 

The DMK has been planning to organise a grand public meeting to commemorate Karunanidhi’s birthday and diamond jubilee in the state Assembly on June 3, in which top national leaders, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, are expected to participate. 

Meanwhile, Stalin thanked Superstar Rajinikanth for terming him as an able administrator. “If I want to say in true Rajini style and language...happy.”

On Friday, he also criticised the nonchalance of the ruling AIADMK in making Tamil official language and Tamil learning compulsory in CBSE and ICSE schools. He accused the AIADMK government of  acting in tandem with the BJP government at the Centre to weaken the resolve of the next generation to learn their mother tongue and stand in guard of Tamil in this state.

Describing the attitude of the state on the issue as “highly objectionable”, Stalin, retraced the roots of Tamil language policy, which started as two-language police in C N Annadurai’s regime in 1968 and said, “It is painful to note that the AIADMK government is acting with nonchalance with respect to key issues like pressurising Union government to make Tamil as the official language of the country along with other scheduled languages and ensuring Tamil to be the official language of Madras High Court.”   

He also accused the ruling dispensation of acting  without any concern and weakening the aims and objectives of the monumental ‘Tamil Learning Act, 2006.’

Requesting the ruling party to move ahead quickly to implement compulsory  Tamil language instruction in CBSE and ICSE schools from Class I to Class 10 using the provisions of ‘Tamil Learning Act, 2006.’ 

The Leader of Opposition asked the government to hasten the appointment of Tamil teachers in government schools and ensure implementation of ‘Tamil Learning Act, 2006’ in full force as soon as possible.