"No change in policy on minority language schools or institutions"

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has made it clear that the government had no intention of closing down minority language schools or institutions in the State.

Replying to special calling attention motion, he said Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa seems to have been misled by some journalists, who were looking to create friction between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.



He could have sought clarification of the Tamil Nadu government stance with officials here before making a statement that the Tamil Nadu government was planning to close down minority language schools.

The DMK had been in the forefront of protecting and saving Tamil and this was not at the cost of other languages. There was no change in this policy, the Chief Minister said, adding that he was making this clarification for the people of Karnataka.

Earlier raising the issue, Peter Alphonse (Congress) and T. Velmurugan (PMK) pointed to Mr. Yeddyurappa's statement and wanted to know if the government proposed to close down such schools.

Mr. Alphonse said that representatives of language minority institutions had approached him for clarification on the issue.

In his reply, School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu said the confusion could have been because the State government had taken a decision on equitable education in the State.

This did not mean that the minority institutions would be affected in any way. There was no intention to interfere with language minority institutions, he said.