PM SHRI, NEP row: Education minister calls Tamil Nadu MPs ‘uncivilised’; DMK says ‘clearly stated issues’

NEW DELHI: Parliament erupted in chaos on Monday as union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused MPs of Tamil Nadu being “undemocratic and uncivilised” before withdrawing his remarks amid a fierce war of words over the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme as part of the National Education Policy (NEP).

The confrontation laid bare the deepening rift between the central government and Tamil Nadu over NEP with allegations of Rs 2,000 crore in education funds being diverted as political retribution against the state.

The PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme aims to strengthen more than 14,500 existing schools managed by central, state governments and local bodies. It has been introduced as a component of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the main scheme for universalising school education in the country. The union government is withholding SSA funds in their entirety from any state government that has reservations about the PM SHRI schools and has dragged its heels on signing the agreement with the union government for implementing the scheme. This includes Kerala, West Bengal and earlier, Punjab.

Tamil Nadu has been opposed to the scheme and also against the implementation of the three language policy which the NEP mandates. The NEP was implemented via a Cabinet decision; it was never tabled or voted on in parliament.

The second leg of the Budget session of the parliament began on Monday.

PM SHRI: Opposition to the scheme

The chaos began with Sumathy T, MP from Chennai south, questioning the education minister.

“Originally the Rs 2,000 crore meant for Tamil Nadu under PM SHRI have been diverted to other states, due to the opposition of the state towards NEP. Through you (the speaker) I would like to raise concern that this is an attack on co-operative federalism. I would also like to ask the honourable education minister through you if it is right to use the financial allocation which is meant for education of school children for others? Is it right to use it as a revengeful tool against the state government…? Will the minister assure the parliament that no state will face fund cuts for rejecting a policy not mandated by law?” she said.

In the past as well, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin had written to the centre on the matter.

NEP, PM SHRI: Education minister’s response

Responding to the question, Pradhan said that the government of Tamil Nadu had changed their stance after agreeing to sign an MoU with the government of India earlier last year.

“A few of my MP colleagues from Tamil came to see me. The honourable member who raised the question also came to see me. They agreed and they went back. Now they have done a U-turn. It is their problem. The government of India is open on this issue.”

He gave examples of many Congress-ruled states to say that they have implemented PM SHRI. The education minister pointed out that several Congress-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have implemented the PM SHRI scheme.

“They have conveyed reservations verbally but they are implementing PMSHRI. …Right now my Congress friend from Amritsar raised a question. To the same Tamil Nadu government, the government of India is giving financial allocation under PM POSHAN,” he said.

As objections from the Tamil Nadu MPs grew louder, a visibly agitated Pradhan accused them of being “dishonest and not committed to deserving children”. He said: “They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu children, their only job is to raise the language policy. They are doing politics, mischief and it is unfortunate...”

Pradhan called the Tamil MPs “undemocratic and uncivilised” twice, and directly addressed DMK MP Kanimozhi asking her: “On March 15, they were ready to sign the MoU. Why did they back out? My sister Kanimozhi should be honest to the people of Tamil Nadu

Dharmendra Pradhan, Kanimozhi

Raising objection to the minister's speech, Kanimozhi said, “I am pained today that the minister of education in his reply has called the MPs of Tamil Nadu uncivilised while other MPs shouted “shame”.

“You have taken my name also. I would like to …tell you the truth that I had met the minister representing that the SSA funds be released to Tamil Nadu. The minister of education from the state was also present in the delegation. We had clearly stated we had issues with the NEP and we cannot accept it in full. The three language policy is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu,” she added.

According to Kanimozhi, the Tamil Nadu chief minister had written to both the minister and the Prime Minister expressing the state’s inability to accept NEP in its entirety while requesting release of the funds.

Pradhan subsequently withdrew his remark calling Kanimozhi “an esteemed colleague and dearest sister”. “I mentioned a word I should not have mentioned. Let me first withdraw my word if it hurts my colleagues and the people of Tamil Nadu.”

The education minister then added, “We have no problem with the non-BJP state. In case of Karnataka, Punjab all these states are getting PMSHRI. They have also been allocated PM POSHAN funds. They should come to the policies which they have agreed upon.”