New Delhi : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi and other DMK MPs held a protest in the Parliament on Tuesday over National Education Policy (NEP), the three-language issue and against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remark in the Parliament on the three-language issue.
The DMK is opposing the National Education Policy (NEP), especially the three-language formula, which it believes is an attempt to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu. DMK MP Kanimozhi accused the Centre of ruining the future of the children on Tamil Nadu.
"The Union Govt is withholding the money that has to be given to Tamil Nadu, saying that we have to sign the three-language policy and the NEP. They are ruining the future of the children of Tamil Nadu. They have no right to withhold the funds which have to come to the children of Tamil Nadu. Yesterday, he (Dharmendra Pradhan) responded in a very abusive way, saying that we are dishonest and that the people of Tamil Nadu are uncivilised. This is not the language we expect him to be speaking. This is totally undemocratic. We expect an apology"
Congress MP K Suresh slammed the central government over the National Education Policy (NEP), accusing it of pushing the policy without consulting state governments and academicians. He alleged that the government's real intention is to "saffronise the entire education system."
Speaking to ANI, K Suresh said, "Education policy change is a very serious issue. Without consulting state governments and academicians, they (central govt) brought in a new education policy. They want to saffronise the entire education system. Tamil Nadu has always been against the three-language policy, but without their consent, the union govt took the decision. Our party members from Tamil Nadu also support them DMK."
On Monday, a war of words broke out between Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the DMK party after Pradhan termed the Tamil Nadu government as "dishonest" and the people of the state as "uncivilised."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin hit back and accused Pradhan of "arrogance" and of "insulting the people" of Tamil Nadu.
In a strongly worded post in Tamil on his X, Stalin called out the Union Minister's "arrogance" and said that he was speaking like an "arrogant king." The one who had "disrespected" the people of Tamil Nadu "needs to be disciplined."
Pradhan, in his remarks during Question Hour, alleged that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in the state but later went back on their promise. The DMK staged a protest, over the union minister's remarks that led to an adjournment of proceedings of the Lower House of Parliament.
"They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said.