The Tirunelveli Social Service Society, an outfit of the Catholic Diocese of Palyamkottai had organized its golden jubilee at KTC Nagar in Tirunelveli on 4 November 2022.
Antonysamy Savarimuthu, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Palayamkottai presided over the event.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, DMK Minister Geetha Jeevan and Congress leader Peter Alphonse who is now the Chairman of State Minorities Commission participated in the event.
Speaking at the event, Appavu hailed Macaulay and the Christian missionaries saying that it was because of him
“I look back at one thing. Not many know how this community was earlier. Today, they’ve come to this level. Not all the people in the state could buy land. Not everybody could study. Only after Lord Macaulay came, he brought in a law that allowed everybody to study.”, the DMK leader said.
He also said that they (Christian missionaries) provided education without discriminating on the basis of caste or religion.
“The reverand brothers, sisters and fathers, they taught not for themselves but for anyone and everyone in this state. They have been teaching for 187 years but are being slandered now. If ‘they’ throw mud on you, this community should rise and ask. This community should question those who slander them.”, Appavu said.
The DMK leader also said that it was the Dravidian movement which spearheaded voting rights and education for women.
He also hailed the Irish Christian Missionary Amy Beatrice Carmichael who established the Dohnarvur Fellowship at Tirunelveli and worked against the Devadasi system by housing young women and children at her missionary.
“If these social reforms happened in the society, the ones solely responsible are the Catholic Diocese fathers, sisters and brothers, Christian organizations like Church of South India.”, Appavu added.
The DMK leader further said that the evolution of schemes like ‘Pudhumai Penn’ (₹1000 stifend for girl students) originated from the Church which the DMK government is implementing.
He told that CM Stalin will always stand by them and protect them.
“If you have any complaints, you can directly approach him.”, Appavu concluded.
This is not the first time that DMK MLA also holds the position of Assembly Speaker has resorted to communalization.
Earlier in June 2022, Speaker Appavu stoked a controversy saying that the MK Stalin-led government in the state was formed by Christians and for Christians.
Appavu openly admitted that the DMK came to power because of the ‘fasting’ and support of Roman Catholic Christians and that Chief Minister MK Stalin acknowledges that the DMK government was installed with the help of Christians.
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