COIMBATORE: Days after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami blamed easing of beneficiary registration guidelines for the PM-KISAN scam in the State, L Murugan, the BJP’s state president, on Friday said it was the TN government that was wholly responsible for the scam.
Addressing reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with BJP south district functionaries in Coimbatore, Murugan demanded that a special investigation team be set up to probe the scam. Although the BJP and AIADMK are in an alliance, the bond between the two parties has been fraying in recent months. The scam was uncovered by the government when it noticed a spike in beneficiaries being added to the scheme in a short period of time. As many as 5 lakh ineligible farmers were found to have been enrolled for cash benefits under the scheme.
At least 18 people have been arrested while 81 contract staff have been sacked. Departmental action has been taken against 34 officers. Meanwhile, Murugan, speaking about the new education policy, another sore point between the two parties, said it was aimed at preparing students to have a better understanding of their mother language and at giving them opportunities for vocational learning.
“Already, three-language policy is followed in CBSE and Matriculation schools in Tamil Nadu. But, students of government schools in the state are not being given the opportunity to learn an additional language," he complained, referring to the state’s adherence to a two-language policy. Murugan slammed the opposition DMK, alleging that party was practising “modern untouchability” by opposing the implementation of the three-language policy in the state.
"However the irony is that the three-language policy is implemented at private schools run by DMK functionaries in the state," he claimed. Murugan hinted that a few more functionaries from DMK would be joining the State BJP, claiming that the DMK was sidelining leaders from Scheduled Caste communities due to caste-based politics. Asked about the death by suicide of NEET aspirants, he said, "Students are ending their lives for various reasons, not just NEET. Students should just focus on preparing for the exam to succeed in their life."