Chennai: Social justice minister Vanni Arasu rejected the allegations of Bharathidasan, a research scholar from Tamil Nadu pursuing higher education in Malaysia under a state govt scheme, that he had not received financial assistance this year.Speaking in the assembly, Vanni Arasu said it was the scholar who failed to submit relevant documents while seeking funds. Responding to a calling-attention motion in the assembly, Arasu said Bharathidasan had received the maximum assistance of ₹35 lakh sanctioned to a student under the scheme in 2025 but had failed to submit expenditure records. “Without submitting the records, Bharathidasan was demanding financial assistance for this year too. Despite this, the state government has released ₹48 lakh so far towards his academic and other expenses,” he said.Bharathidasan, pursuing research under the Annal Ambedkar Overseas Higher Education Scholarship, recently posted a video on social media alleging despite repeated appeals, he had not received the assistance this year.DMK also accused the social justice department of failing dalit students. “Educational assistance for 300 students were rejected by universities in England as they didn’t recognise it as a scholarship. The education of more than 300 students has become uncertain under the TVK govt,” Paranthamen said.
