new delhi, Sept 1
Continuing his hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day, from hospital bed in Chennai, to press the Modi government to immediately release the Rs 2,152 crore due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shikha Abhiyan (SSA) programme, Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil has called for intensifying the struggle till the rights of children and teachers are secured.
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who spoke to him over phone, expressed support for the MP, but urged him to abide by the advice of doctors and give up the fast since many struggles have to be waged against the BJP. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general Secretary KC Venugopal have inquired about his health. The former IAS officer is an emerging face of the Congress in Tamil Nadu, with a sizable following among the youth.
The Union Education Ministry has withheld the funds on the ground that Tamil Nadu has not implemented the New Education Policy (NEP) which mandates the three-language formula. Opposing the NEP, the DMK government of MK Stalin has rejected the three-language policy, maintaining that it is a ploy to impose Hindi. Since 1968, the state has been following the two-language formula – mother tongue Tamil and English.
The MP from the Tiruvallur constituency, who commenced his indefinite fast at Tiruvallur on August 29, was admitted to the Government Hospital in Tiruvallur following deterioration of his health on Saturday night and then shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai on medical advice. As he is continuing the fast from the hospital bed, doctors have been monitoring his health, which is stated to be stable.
While launching the protest, Senthil had said that the Union government withholding the funds had created uncertainty over the future of 43 lakh students and 2.2 lakh teachers in the state. In a statement, released to the media, he made clear his resolve of not giving up the fast without a solution even though doctors have warned against it. “You can’t hold children hostage over policy disputes. If you have policy issues with a state, that’s a different matter.
But, you cannot say that you won’t release funds meant for school education,” he wrote on his ‘X’ handle, adding “My intention was to expose the BJP and its attitude, even towards critical issues like school education.”
Tamil Nadu Ministers Mano Thangaraj and SM Nazar called on Senthil at the hospital. Among others who visited him include former TNCC president KS Alagiri, CPI(M) State Secretary P Shanmugam and MDMK leader Durai Vaiko, MP.
