Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called upon students to develop their public speaking abilities.
He was speaking in an event organised by the State Minorities Commission in Guru Nanak College to distribute prizes for students who participated in various competitions. Recalling his speech at a political party meeting in 1971, Mr. Stalin said he could recall the grand reception he had for his speech.
Usually students, who were associated with Dravidian, nationalist and Communist movements, would take part in such competitions and win prizes. “These are the student leaders, who eventually become leaders of political movements in the later years,” he said.
Observing that public speaking was an art and not everyone could master the skill, Mr. Stalin said: “Many people, who have won in all other fronts could fail in public speaking. Ruling the stage, like ruling from the fort, is hard.”
The event was organised to mark the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru, Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudy, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, Minister for Minorities Welfare Gingee K.S. Masthan, State Minorities Commission chairperson S. Peter Alphonse were among those present at the event.
In another event, the Chief Minister launched an awareness campaign ‘People’s Movement for Clean Cities’ in Thanga Salai, Royapuram by the Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department to sensitise people to the importance of cleanliness in urban areas.
The movement would involve the participation of school and college students, social activists and volunteers in 21 Municipal Corporations, including Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), 138 municipalities and 490 town panchayats on second Saturday every month.
Mr. Nehru, Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments P.K. Sekarbabu, GCC Mayor R. Priya, MPs and MLAs and senior officials were present.
