The education minister has lashed out at certain quarters who have claimed that Tamil schools are marginalised, saying that huge funds have been allocated to improve the standards of these schools.

As evidence of the government's sincerity, he further claims that Tamil schools have been chosen for the "cluster schools" project and 70 national schools have had Tamil introduced as a subject. He also defended MIC chief, saying that "Every time we meet, he will bring up issues related to Tamil schools."

When the same minister, who had previously spoken about the possible closure of about 150 under-enrolled Tamil schools without suggesting viable alternatives, makes such remarks, it clearly indicates election-talk!

If not for the strong views expressed by those unhappy with the current state of Tamil schools in relation to other schools, Tamil Nesan, the unofficial organ of the MIC, may not even highlight the few Tamil schools that have had new buildings recently. We have about 524 Tamil schools and the "huge funds" made available to the MIC chief for Tamil schools can, at best, renovate about 10 to 15 schools annually. More than 400 schools need the authorities' attention and at the present rate, it will take more than 30 years to service these schools.

MIC seems to have been given the full contracts to service the Tamil schools and temples. These are handy to woo the ordinary Indian voters during elections. The race-based ruling coalition surely has the strategy to get each of the parties to "get the votes" by channeling government funds through them. But the minority community, that had been the poorest from the time of independence, has not been allocated "huge funds", only a pittance designed to keep it in its beleaguered position all the while.

MIC is indeed "happy" that it holds the contracts and any demands for more might jeopardise its already weak position in the government. Whereas the government as a whole has become completely insensitive to the needs of the minority Indian community, especially those from the working class.

During election season, suddenly everyone will speak as though they are the champions of this community and the community is so gullible that the strategy to fool it will continue unabated.