Chennai: Governor R N Ravion Monday said more than half of dalit students in govt high schools in the state cannot read a Class II book. Higher education minister Govi Chezhiaan hit back, accusing the governor of “peddling lies”.
After paying floral tributes before a portrait of B R Ambedkar, the governor said dalit high school students “cannot identify a two-digit number between 11 and 99. Yet they are given 100% pass results and admitted to colleges. But what will happen with just a degree, no skills, and no real education? This is the age of the knowledge economy. Without skill and education, our youth have no future. Private schools flourish, producing the best students in the country, while govt schools are among the worst, even worse than some of the historically under-performing states.”
Ravi said discrimination still exists in the state. “A dalit is beaten up for wearing slippers and walking on a village street. A young dalit thrashed for riding a motorbike. A student praised by a teacher is attacked in his home. Human excreta found in water tanks. These are not isolated incidents,” he said.
Hitting back at Ravi, Chezhiaan said the governor was peddling lies unable to digest the Supreme Court verdict in the pending bills case. Chezhiaan said in a statement that the governor should question the law and order in his native state, Bihar, which has reported the second highest number of crimes against dalits, according to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).
“The Bihar govt is run with the support of the BJP. Will you be able to condemn the Bihar govt for the crimes against Dalits there,” he asked.
Chezhiaan alleged that Ravi was practising double standards as he was praising Ambedkar and at the same time upholding Sanatana Dharma which was opposed by Ambedkar.
“Your double act will not work in TN,” he said.
Chezhiaan said that 97.7 % of cases of atrocities against SC and ST were registered in 13 states, including Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
“As many as 12,287 cases were registered in UP, accounting for 23 % of the total cases,” he said.
UP was followed by Rajasthan, Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra. “81 % of the cases were from these six states where BJP is governing,” he said.
In TN, only three % of the cases have been registered, Chezhaiaan said.
“You are neither fit to praise Ambedkar nor criticise the Dravidian movement,” he said.