Ponmudy joins Poyyamozhi to attack Centre for not releasing education funds

CHENNAI: Joining hands with School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who has launched a tirade against the Centre for not releasing funds for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy on Thursday said that as the state is adopting two language policy, it is unfair of the Union Ministry of Education to release the state's funds for schools.

"We have adopted only a two-language policy since 1967. As we are not accepting a three-language policy it is not right of the central government to withhold funds", he said after conducting a review meeting of his department with higher-level officials.

Claiming that there was a Hindi course available at Presidency College in Chennai, the minister said that only three students were studying that course. "Only four students were studying in the Malayalam course and there were no students for the Urdu course", he said. It could be gauged that students here in Tamil Nadu were clear about accepting only a two-language policy, he added.

Stating that Tamil Nadu is one of the premier states in the country in the improvement of education from primary school to higher education level, Ponmudy said "the Centre should not shirk its responsibility from releasing funds to the state".