AIADMK General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday criticised the decision of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDATN) to collect fee from students studying in government schools across the state for organising sports coaching camps during summers.

Palaniswami in a statement said that most of the students, who will be attending the camp which will begin from April 29 and conclude on May 13, will not be able to pay the camp fee.

The camp fee, according to a notification by SDATN, for the coaching camps to be held in Chennai will be Rs 500 while at other district headquarters it will be Rs 200.

The camps would have two sessions on these days and would provide coaching to students in football, volleyball, kabbadi, basketball, among other types of sports.

The AIADMK leader said that the previous government had organised summer coaching camps for students without collecting fee, adding that thousands of students had benefitted from these camps.

Palaniswami has criticised the State Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and said, “The DMK government, which was claiming credit for having organised the International Chess Olympiad and of planning to set up a sports stadium in every district has now decided to collect fee from students for summer coaching camps.”

He also added that most of the students who take part in these summer camps are those from government schools and state-aided schools.

The AIADMK leader said that students interested in sports and their parents have opposed the notification from the SDATN for collecting fee from them for organising coaching camps.

He said, “On behalf of the AIADMK, I strongly condemn this government’s action, which is trying to place hurdles for students who are interested in sports.”

Palaniswami also appealed the DMK government to stop collecting fee from students of government schools, while claiming that it would promote sports.

The former Chief Minister also urged the DMK government to organise sports camps without collecting fee just like those in the past.