The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 11 medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, yesterday via live video conferencing. The districts in which the new Medical Colleges are being established are Virudhunagar, Namakkal, The Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Thiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Ramanathapuram and Krishnagiri. Apart from this, he also inaugurated a new campus of the Central Institute of Classic Tamil (CICT).
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin said, “The idea that there should be medical colleges for each district in Tamil Nadu was a dream of Muthamilarignyar Kalaignar [M Karunanidhi]. We had included this hope in our 2016 Assembly election manifesto. It is Kalaignar’s dream that has been realised today.” This statement has caused quite the criticism from the internet world.
It is to be noted that all the 11 colleges that were inaugurated by the Prime Minister yesterday, was due to the joint effort of the AIADMK government under the rule of Ex-Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, and the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre. The now Opposition leader, who played a major role in this scenario, was not even invited for the inauguration of these colleges. Instead, the DMK government has taken full credit for these colleges, by saying that ‘Kalaignar’s dream has been realised.’
The Chief Minister has also specifically said that it was late M Karunanidhi’s dream to bring medical colleges in every district of Tamil Nadu. However, the UPA government was in power in the Centre from 2004-2014. The DMK was in power in Tamil Nadu from 2006-2011. However, only 4 Medical colleges were set up by the DMK government in those years in power. In fact, the DMK has only brought a total number of 6 colleges under their governance.
This statement has attracted criticism because the DMK government is taking credit for something that the previous AIADMK government did, and did not even have the courtesy to credit the previous government for their efforts. It is to be noted that in these many years, the AIADMK have been reason for the opening of 26 colleges in Tamil Nadu, including the 11 that were inaugurated yesterday.
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