Tamil Nadu Minister Virudhai Magal Keertana has rejected the allegations of making fun of the student in a viral video. He said that making fun of his English is an insult not only to him but to lakhs of government school and Tamil medium students like him.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [भारत]July 7 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Virudhai Magal Keerthana on Tuesday reacted to a video going viral online. He rejected claims of “making fun of a government school girl”, saying that the criticism was actually directed at lakhs of Tamil-medium and government school students across the state.
In a post on X, Keerthana, who describes herself as a former government school student, said that the video in question was not recorded by her and was footage captured by the media.
Minister Kirtna’s clarification on viral video
He said, “Today some people are spreading the false story that ‘he made fun of a government school student.’ Do you know what the truth is? I myself am a government school student. I myself have studied in Tamil medium. Those who are making fun of me today about my English are not just making fun of me… They are making fun of millions of government school students like me and those who study in Tamil medium.”
Keerthana further said, “I studied mathematics, science and social sciences in school entirely in Tamil. I did not have the opportunity to study French as a second language, nor did I have the means to study in a big private school.”
There were difficulties regarding English in the corporate world.
He said his troubles started when he entered the corporate world. She added, “When I entered the corporate world, I struggled in English. I made mistakes. I learned. I’m still learning. And I’m not ashamed of it.”
Keerthana asked those who mocked her online to consider the broader consequences of their actions. He wrote on
‘Criticize, but don’t make fun of self-confidence’
Saying that instilling confidence in Tamil-medium students is central to her aim, Keerthana said, “A government school student should stand on the world stage. A Tamil-medium student should be able to speak on any platform with her head held high. It is my aim to create that environment. Criticize me. Question my work. But don’t make fun of the confidence of an entire generation.”
The minister also clarified that he had not recorded the video being circulated online, adding that it was footage captured by the media. “Also, I did not record the video that is being circulated. It was footage captured by the media. I did not ask anyone to take pictures. It is the job of the media to gather news. If you want to know the truth, ask them. Another question… How many children of the politicians who are making fun of me today – and those who support them – are actually studying in government schools, in Tamil medium?”
She also questioned the background of her critics and said, “It is easy for those who do not trust government schools to make fun of a woman who studied in that school. But the fact that this woman from that government school is standing here today – that is my answer.”
The leader of the opposition had alleged
The comments came as Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, on Monday launched a scathing attack on Industries Minister S Keerthana over his recent visit to a government school near Sivakasi, alleging that he humiliated a girl student under the guise of testing the English language skills of the child. (ANI)
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