CHENNAI: “When it comes to Keezhadi, AIADMK, DMK and TVK are all on the same page. All the kazhagams are together on Keezhadi in principle, and we will not compromise on it,” Minister for School Education and Archaeology S Rajmohan told the TNIE in an exclusive interview.
Referring to the excavation reports that are yet to be released by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), he said the state government would continue to urge the union government to make them public. The minister also said efforts are on to bring back Chola-era copper plates to Tamil Nadu.
“Like a World Cup trophy, it (copper platers) should be displayed in every state and eventually be kept in Thanjavur,” he said, adding that he would personally meet union ministers to bring the copper plates to Tamil Nadu. Highlighting the government’s focus on archaeology, Rajmohan said resources are being mobilised for excavations across the state.
“A hero-stone, likely to be at least 1,000-years-old, has been excavated from a site in Ramanathapuram. We want to preserve it and showcase it in the same place,” he added.
On the National Education Policy (NEP), the school education minister said the TVK government would stick to the State Education Policy and would not accept the NEP under any circumstances.
“There needs to be some small changes in the state policy,” he said, adding that the government would bear the cost, just as the previous DMK government had done. He also praised the breakfast scheme and indicated that the menu may be revised to include more protein-rich food.
Calling the scheme a continuation of Tamil Nadu’s long tradition of nutrition programmes, he said the government was exploring ways to further improve its nutritional value.
“It is an excellent scheme and is in line with our principle of feeding the needy. We would modify the menu by adding protein-rich food,” Rajmohan said, recalling how CM C Joseph Vijay’s supporters have been distributing milk, bread and eggs since the Vijay Rasigar Mandram days.