Kalvi TV CEO appointment on hold; Poyyamozhi trolled

CHENNAI: The State Education Department has put the appointment of Kalvi TV (Kalvi Tholaikaatchi) CEO reportedly on hold following social media outrage.

DMK sympathisers went berserk on social media since Tuesday morning after the appointment of one Manikanda Boopathi, who was identified as the co-founder of a right wing YouTube channel, as the CEO of Kalvi TV.

Several social media users who have been die-hard defendants of the DMK, lambasted the School Education Department, mainly its Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi over appointing a proponent of the controversial National Education Policy (NEP) as the head of the Kalvi TV.

The Twitterati questioned the ideological commitment of the department and criticised the mismatch between ruling DMK’s rhetoric and action.

By noon Tuesday, information spilled out of Fort St George suggesting that the School Education Department move has been kept in abeyance.

Deputy coordinator DMK media wing R Rajiv Gandhi posted a tweet confirming the decision later in the day.

In a message posted on his official Twitter handle, Rajiv Gandhi tweeted, “A 12-member committee of officials perused the 70 applications for the post of Kalvi TV CEO. The committee interviewed all applicants and selected a candidate without any recommendation. The School Education Minister has issued an order to put the selection of the committee in abeyance after learning that the shortlisted person’s views were contrary to state education policy.”

Minister Mahesh Poyyamozhi was at the receiving end on Tuesday after Twitter kept the hashtag#resignmaheshpoyyamozhi trending on Twitter with many recalling his ‘justification’ of the issue at a media briefing on Monday. DMK IT wing head and Mannarkudi MLA sought to control the damage and tweeted, “Forces opposed to social justice who infiltrated during the last 10 years would be identified and weeded out. Our CM is one of us and thinks like us. Keep calm. CM knows best.”

DMK MP from Dharmapuri Dr Senthil Kumar acknowledged the influence of DMK sympathisers and tweeted, “The strongest supporter and harshest critics of the DMK party/government is its humble cadre. They are an asset to the party. They will not let the party compromise/deviate in its ideologies or principles.”