DMK MP Durai Vaiko condemns ‘spiritual awakening’ session in Chennai school, promises action

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 8 (ANI): Amid the controversy surrounding a government school in Chennai conducting a “Spiritual Awakening” session, Tiruchirappalli MP and DMK leader Durai Vaiko condemned the event and promised appropriate action against those responsible.

Speaking to ANI, the DMK MP said, “It is highly condemnable that we had a person in the name of Mahavishnu get into a school campus; in fact, he was invited by school authorities to give a motivational lecture.”

Vaiko described the speaker as irrational and stated that such individuals should not be allowed in educational institutions.

“He says if we chant the mantra, we may get acid rain, and sick people may get cured. This sort of person should never be allowed inside an educational institution. This person claims to be an avatar of God,” Durai Vaiko noted.

“It is not a spiritual speech at all. It is a Sanatana speech. There is a difference between Hinduism and Sanatana. This person claims to be an ‘Avaatar’ of god,” he added.

“How do you allow a person who talks like this into a school?” he questioned.

He expressed concern that such lectures could misguide students and stated that both the Chief Minister and the Education Minister have condemned the event and assured that action would be taken against those responsible.

Regarding Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s remarks that the Central Board of Education’s (CBSE) syllabus is superior to the Tamil Nadu state board syllabus, Vaiko accused Ravi of acting as an RSS ‘Pracharak’ and claimed that the state syllabus is on par with the CBSE syllabus.

“Our governor, RN Ravi, has never performed ads for the governor of Tamil Nadu; he had functioned as the ‘Pracharak’ of the RSS. I am very sure he knows the truth,” he alleged.

“The state syllabus is par with the CBSE syllabus. The state syllabus has been upgraded in the last 5 to 6 years,” he added.

On September 6, R. Thamilarasi, the principal of Ashok Nagar Girls Higher Secondary School, was transferred following the controversy over the NGO Paramporul Foundation conducting the ‘Spiritual Awakening Classes’ at the school. Thamilarasi has been reassigned to Government Higher Secondary School, Kovilpathagai, Thiruvallur district.

A video of the purported session went viral, prompting DMK supporters to question the state government and the education department. Education Minister Anbil Mahesh announced that a committee has been formed to investigate the permissions granted for the event and that action will be taken within 1-2 days based on the findings.

“Based on our department’s principal secretary, we have formed a committee based on that. We will make an inquiry on who all are involved in this, how it happened, and who gave the permission, everything will be enquired. Based on that, we will take action within 1-2 days,” the minister said.

Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin also responded to the criticism by saying the state’s textbooks contain the best scientific ideas for the students. “Our high-quality textbooks contain the best scientific ideas that students need to know.

“The teachers themselves can bring out the best ideas needed to face future challenges with confidence and sharpen the knowledge. Actions will be taken by the School Education Department to provide the necessary innovative training, social education with appropriate departmental experts and scholars.” the Chief Minister said in a post on X.

“I have decreed to formulate and issue new guidelines for regulating various programmes in schools in the state so that all our schoolchildren, who are the future generation of Tamilnadu, get progressive-scientific ideas and lifestyles. Individual progress, ethical living and sound ideas for social development should be inculcated in the hearts of the students. Over the past three years, I have consistently emphasised the importance of education and the need to develop scientific thinking at numerous events,” the CM added.