CHENNAI/ERODE: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K A Sengottaiyan and School Education Minister A Rajmohan on Saturday clarified that school students’ identity cards will not carry details of their caste, thus putting to rest the controversy that stemmed from reports to the contrary.
Speaking to the media at Gobichettipalayam in Erode district, Sengottaiyan said, “We (revenue department) are considering, in collaboration with the school education department, to issue identity cards to students with details such as their address, blood group, Aadhaar information and class details. No details based on caste will be included in the identity cards. If caste is specified, it could lead to discrimination among the students. Our party is beyond caste and religion.”
In a press meet in Chennai, Rajmohan too cleared the air on the issue saying that Sengottaiyan on Friday had only meant that community certificates would be issued in a durable card format. “Our principle is that there is no caste and that everyone is equal by birth.
He said that community certificates, which are now issued on paper and are easily damaged, especially during floods, would be provided in card format. There is no link between caste and students’ identity cards,” Rajmohan said.
The clarification came after Sengottaiyan’s statement that community certificates would be issued in an ID card format carrying details such as the student’s caste, blood group and address, among other information.
Meanwhile, former school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, in response to the controversy, accused the government of implementing the centre’s APAAR scheme through the proposed card-format community certificates.
This, he alleged, amounted to sharing students’ personal data with the union government despite the state’s opposition to NEP. He said the government should remain steadfast in its opposition to the NEP, regardless of central funding, as the DMK had done.
In the same press meet, responding to criticism by CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, Rajmohan said, “While C Mahendran has left the communist party and joined the TVK, he has not left communism. It creates doubt whether Mutharasan has moved away from communism.
Political leaders should rise above their individual likes and dislikes, and respect the people’s mandate. Why did Mutharasan not speak against the ‘Murasoli’ (DMK’s mouthpiece) article that insulted (CPM state secretary) P Shanmugam?”
Rajmohan’s remarks came in response to Mutharasan’s criticism of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s recent political comments targeting former chief minister M K Stalin.
Responding to a question on a Karnataka-based film producer being appointed as the state government’s special representative in Delhi, Sengottaiyan said, “Appointing representatives is a policy decision of the government. There is nothing wrong with this appointment. All the representatives will raise their voice for TN’s rights.”