Chennai, Feb 18 (IANS) Tamil Nadu’s School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Tuesday strongly criticised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his recent remarks regarding the release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.
The Union Minister had stated that Tamil Nadu would not receive these funds unless the state fully implemented the National Education Policy (NEP).
Addressing a protest organised by the INDIA bloc here, Poyyamozhi reaffirmed the Tamil Nadu government’s stance, stating: “We reject the National Education Policy (NEP), the PM-SHRI scheme, and Hindi imposition.”
He accused the Union government of attempting to pressure states into adopting NEP and its components, but asserted that Tamil Nadu would not succumb to such coercion.
The Centre and the Tamil Nadu government have been at odds over the implementation of NEP, particularly its three-language formula.
The ruling DMK has consistently opposed NEP, arguing that it seeks to impose Hindi under the pretext of multilingual education. It has also accused the Centre of harbouring an anti-Dravidian and anti-Tamil agenda.
Union Minister Pradhan, however, dismissed these allegations, claiming that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government was politicising the policy. He questioned why Tamil Nadu was resisting NEP when most other states had adopted it.
Pradhan further claimed that Tamil Nadu had initially agreed to the Centre’s conditions but later backtracked. Participating at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam event in Varanasi, Pradhan said: “They (the state government) must adhere to constitutional norms and accept NEP in letter and spirit.”
DMK legislator Ezhilan pointed out that the Official Language (Use for Official Purposes of the Union) Rules, 1976 exempts Tamil Nadu from Hindi imposition. He added that anyone in the state who wishes to learn Hindi voluntarily is free to do so.
The ruling DMK has accused the Centre of repeatedly interfering in the state’s affairs and infringing upon its rights.
The party stated that Tuesday’s protest was only the beginning of a larger movement against NEP and its implementation in Tamil Nadu.
On Monday, the DMK released a press statement condemning Pradhan’s remarks.
“Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is intimidating Tamil Nadu by threatening to withhold education funds unless NEP is implemented. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also been biased in fund allocations, continuously ignoring projects for the state.”
The statement also criticised the Centre for “transgressions using the office of the Governor” and attempting to “damage the state’s education infrastructure” through the University Grants Commission (UGC). The party reiterated its stance that NEP is an attempt to impose Hindi and diminish Tamil Nadu’s autonomy.
The state’s principal opposition party, the AIADMK has also opposed the three-language formula.
AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) reaffirmed his party’s commitment to the two-language policy (Tamil and English), which has been in place in the state for decades.
Expelled AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) also urged the Centre to stop insisting on a trilingual policy, aligning himself with the DMK’s opposition to NEP’s language provisions.
–IANS
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