L. Murugan urges T.N. govt. to drop Pattinapakkam Secretariat project

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Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L. Murugan. (File photo) | Photo Credit: SIVA SARAVANAN S

Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to drop its plan to construct the new Assembly-Secretariat complex at Pattinapakkam in Chennai, saying it would affect the livelihood of fishermen in the area.

Speaking to reporters after participating in a Rozgar Mela in Chennai, Mr. Murugan said thousands of fishermen in the area have been dependent on fishing for their livelihood for several years. The construction of a new Secretariat would put their livelihood at stake.

Referring to the movie Sura starred by Mr. Vijay, Mr. Murugan said “It is not enough to play the role of a fisherman in a film. He should understand the real pain and problems of fishermen and act accordingly.”

On Navodaya schools, Mr. Murugan said they were essential for improving the education of poor students. He said the Supreme Court had directed the Tamil Nadu government to allot land for the schools and urged the government to establish Navodaya schools in all districts of the State.

He said nobody has the right to prevent poor students from accessing education through Navodaya schools and the objective should be to ensure equal access to education for all.

He also said the National Education Policy promoted education through the mother tongue. Learning through mother tongue would improve students’ thinking ability, and understanding, he said.

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