Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan accuses Tamil Nadu government of 'U-turn' on NEP; DMK protests

NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday accused the Tamil Nadu government of being "dishonest" and doing a U-turn on the implementation of the new National Education Policy (NEP), drawing a sharp retort from DMK and other opposition parties which alleged that he had hurt the state's pride. After protests and brief adjournment in the Lok Sabha, Pradhan withdrew certain words he had used for Tamil Nadu MPs and urged the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government to rise above political interests for the benefit of students.

The BJP stepped up its attack on the DMK, accusing it of opposing the NEP and delimitation out of fear of losing assembly elections due next year. The Centre and the DMK government have been engaged in a heated exchange over these issue, with the DMK alleging that the BJP was imposing Hindi on the southern state through the NEP. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin lashed out at Pradhan , saying his remarks reflected arrogance. "You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Does PM Narendra Modi accept this?" he said. The DMK said it had clearly told the minister "we cannot accept" the NEP "in full" and the three-language formula "is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu".

Earlier, replying to a question on the PM SHRI scheme in the Lok Sabha, Pradhan said the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has changed its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme which envisaged strengthening the schools managed by central, state or local bodies. The state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and in return, the central government provides the funds. "The Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign the MoU. But now they have changed the stand. Many non-BJP-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement," he said.

Minister alleges DMK misled people on PM SHRI scheme

Pradhan said: "They are dishonest and they are ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu. They are doing politics". The minister said at one point of time, the government of Tamil Nadu had agreed to the PM SHRI scheme and several (DMK) MPs, who came to see him, conveyed this to him. "But when they went back, they made a U-Turn. They are doing mischief with the lives of the students. They are misleading the people and doing injustice to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are undemocratic...," he alleged.

Pradhan said Chief Minister Stalin had also agreed initially "but suddenly some super CM appeared and they took a U-Turn. They just want to do politics". Taking exception to the minister's remarks, the DMK members raised slogans against the central government. Speaker Om Birla asked the agitating members to return to their seats and allow the House to function normally but the DMK members ignored his pleas and continued their protests. After some time, Birla adjourned the House till 12 noon.

When the House reassembled at noon, DMK member Kanimozhi told the House that she was "very pained and hurt" by a particular word used by the minister. Responding to Kanimozhi, Pradhan said, "My esteemed colleague, one of my dearest sisters and senior member honourable Kanimozhi has raised two points. "At one point she said that I have used a word which I should not have used for the members from Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu government and people of Tamil Nadu". "Let's not mix it. Let me withdraw it. I withdraw my word if it has hurt anyone. I have no issues on that," he said. After Pradhan's comments, the Speaker said the word would be expunged from the records.

Pradhan urges TN government to priorities students

Later speaking to reporters outside the House, Pradhan said the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government should rise above political interests for the benefit of students. "Those who do not have concrete facts, they only want to shout. They are creating an uproar and only misleading others. Today is March 10 and just a few days are left before the completion of this financial year; "The (Central) government doesn't have any issue in providing Tamil Nadu their allocation of PM-SHRI, but they are not interested in it. "Those who don't want to join the PM-SHRI programme, I appeal to them. The PM SHRI is a scheme for the benefit of students and in Tamil Nadu, the medium of instruction will remain Tamil only. What is their opposition, I do not understand?" Pradhan said.

Outside Parliament, Kanimozhi said the DMK government had raised concerns over NEP and refused complete acceptance of the policy. "They (central government) should not link funds for school education with NEP implementation. We have not changed our stand... the minister called us liars and uncivilised. "He hurt our pride... we are not against any language but you cannot call us uncivilised... We are speaking to our leaders about moving a privilege motion," added Kanimozhi.

DMK protests over minister’s remarks

Congress MP Mallu Ravi said equal respect must be given to the people of South India. "Today while replying to some question, the education minister made a very unparliamentary comment about a state. He said Tamilians are uncivilised," Ravi said. The Congress member said this word shows the BJP government's thinking about India, which is condemnable. Several DMK MPs also raised slogans of "stop the victimisation of south Indian states". Congress' Karti Chidambaram said there was societal and political unanimity in Tamil Nadu about non-acceptance of the three-language policy.

BJP member Nishikant Dubey accused the DMK of trying to divide the country by inciting passions by opposing the NEP and delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. "The DMK is opposing the NEP, it is opposing Tamil, Telugu, Maithili, Santhali and Kannada. They are trying to disturb the harmony in the country. They want to impose English throughout and win elections by inciting passions," he said.