NEP 'destructive Nagpur plan,' will not accept it, says TN CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday dubbed the National Education Policy a "destructive Nagpur plan" and reiterated that the state would not accept it even if the union government was to provide Rs 10,000 crore.

Addressing a government event at Chengelpet near here, Stalin said: "Yesterday, you would have seen Parliamentary proceedings on television. He is talking arrogantly that Tamil Nadu would be provided Rs 2,000 crore only if Hindi and Sanskrit are accepted. Who? It was Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ."

The state was opposing the National Education Policy since it would completely destroy the growth of education in Tamil Nadu. "The NEP, rather than trying to bring students into education, has all action plans to ease students out of education," CM Stalin alleged .

Assailing the NEP for allowing dominance of the union government in the matter of education, he listed several reasons for opposing it. Injecting communalism into education, privatisation of education, creating a situation wherein only the rich could access higher education, public examination even for small children, NEET-like entrance examination for arts, science and engineering courses were among the reasons, the chief minister alleged.

Only after considering all such factors, Tamil Nadu became firm that it would not accept the NEP. Reiterating his accusation that Pradhan blackmailed the state to accept NEP for release of funds, the chief minister said he had already made it categorical that Tamil Nadu would not accept it.

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"I had said categorically in no uncertain terms that we will not accept your destructive Nagpur plan even if you provide Rs 10,000 crore (by going beyond approximately Rs 2,000 crore, due to the state). I am saying that again here," the chief minister affirmed.

On March 10, Tamil Nadu MPs made Pradhan take back in Parliament his objectionable word within half an hour, demonstrating that they were the heirs of DMK leader late Kalaignar M Karunanidhi. "They have proven that they will fearlessly fight for Tamil Nadu's rights unlike the AIADMK members, who sing paeans to the BJP government."

The chief minister said the fight of DMK MPs in Parliament on Monday is the right answer to those who wanted to know what the 39 MPs from the state would do. "We will fight for Tamil Nadu with the same fighting spirit. We will run the people's government (Tamil Nadu government) with the same sense of responsibility and for that, your support should continue for all the time."

On Monday, referring to Pradhan's letter to him that outlined Tamil Nadu's rejection of the NEP, 3-language policy and PM SHRI MoU, he said the DMK government functioned by respecting the views of the people, unlike the BJP leaders who were bound by "words from Nagpur."