It is a shame that a legitimate issue - Tamil schools and, along with it, the fate of 90,000 Indian Malaysian children - should be kicked about by politicians for no good reason.

Reading about the o­ngoing fracas between PPP head Kayveas and IPF head G Pandithan, in the Tamil press, o­ne cannot help but feel disgusted, and alarmed, with the state of the Indian leadership in this country.

Even though both Kayveas and Pandithan, appear to hurl insults at each other, in truth, are o­nly insulting our intelligence. It is pointless to thump o­ne's chest or accuse the other, if little is done for the community. And, at present, as highlighted by Kayveas and others, Tamil schools need help - lots of it.

It is, therefore, incumbent upon these supposed champions of people to put aside their personal differences and get behind the cause of the people. Both Kayveas and Pandithan have little to show for in that regard.

Tamil schools issue is an area they may work together. At present, in Tamil schools, students may get Buku Bantuan Teks o­nly if their parents earned RM700 or less. Whereas in national schools, the cut-off mark is set at RM1,500. Why?

Granted, majority Tamil school parents earn less than RM700 a month. But should the Ministry of Education punish Tamil school children if their parents earn between RM700 and RM1,500?

Kayveas has highlighted the presence of many schools that are under enrolled. This condition exists because of estate fragmentation, displacement of estate workers, etc. It doesn't mean, however, that Tamil schools are dying a natural death, as Kayveas wrongly concluded.

What we need now is the transfer of the under-enrolled schools to areas where there are large pockets of parents who want to send their children to Tamil schools. Presently, there are many Tamil schools in the city that are over-enrolled. It would be better if another Tamil school could be established nearby.

I hope politicians like Kayveas and Pandithan would stop wasting their time and ours, and start doing something for the people.