Hitting back at DMK chief M Karunanidhi for questioning her 'silence' over HRD ministry's model school initiative, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today said his statement was made only for political gains, as he did not object to the scheme when he was in power in 2009.
"When Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister in 2009, the Cabinet approved setting up of 20 model schools with the support of the Centre at a cost of Rs 75.40 crore. He did not do anything against the scheme and approved it," she said in a statement.
The Chief Minister said the people of Tamil Nadu would understand that Karunanidhi's objections to the scheme now was only for political gains.
Jayalalithaa also sought to know why Karunanidhi had approved the scheme then despite being aware that the Centre was 'interfering' in the state's rights on this issue.
The DMK chief had on November 4 described the initiative as yet another instance of the Centre's interference in the state's rights and asked the Jayalalithaa government to take up the matter with the Centre.
By not consulting the state or taking it into confidence, the Centre had set a "wrong precedence" by allowing privatisation of education, the DMK patriarch had alleged.
While there has been opposition to this proposal, including from a section of academicians, the state government has remained mum, which, he said, was "puzzling."
The HRD scheme envisages setting up 2500 model schools under Public-Private Partnership mode in educationally backward districts in the country.
Jayalalithaa said that in line with her government's efforts to benefit the people as in the past like in establishing the Tamil people's rights over the Mullaperiyar issue and gazette notification in Cauvery Water dispute, firm action would be taken to benefit the people in this matter.
The AIADMK Chief also slammed the Centre for remaining a "mute spectator" over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, allotment of kerosene to the state and attacks on fishermen, allegedly by Sri Lankan Naval personnel.
"Even in this matter (model schools issue), the central government will remain silent", she charged.
Noting that such model schools cannot be opened ahead of next academic year, she said "after the elections in May, there will be a change of rule in Centre and a solution will be found out (on this issue)".
