Chennai: School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan, who had dared PMK MP Anbumani Ramadoss for a debate on the functioning of the school education department, appeared to kind of sidestep the challenge by asking Dr. Anbumani to first clear himself from the charges leveled against him.
Referring to the CBI framing charges against Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss (and others) when the served as Union Health Minister, in two separate corruption cases involving renewing approval for admission to MBBS courses (in the Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh and allowing the Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to proceed with admissions without sufficient faculty), Mr. Sengottaiyan said “let him first prove his innocence.”
Reacting to a question from reporters here on Tuesday, Mr. Sengottaiyan said he discharged his duties “as per his conscience.” Meanwhile, reacting sharply to the Minister’s challenge, Dr. Anbumani, who accepted the challenge, announced Aug. 12 for holding the debate. “The Minister has asked the date and place to be specified for the debate. I announce Aug. 12, between 4 — 5 pm at Muthamizh Peravai in Raja Annamalaipuram,” the PMK leader said gearing up for the face-off.
He accused the Minister of creating a vacuum in the school education by effecting transfer of teachers. “Normally, the teachers counseling is held to ensure adequate number of teachers in all schools, but due to the policy followed by the Minister nearly 60 per cent of the teachers’ posts in Ramanathapuram, Vellore, Villupuram, Cuddalroe, Ariyalur and Tiruvannamalai districts are vacant now,” he said. “The debate will make the people understand the disservice, Sengottaiyan’s AIADMK has done to the people,” Anbumani added.
