"They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining their future," Pradhan said, alleging that the DMK's sole agenda is to stir up language-based divisions. "Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," he remarked. The remarks come amid growing tensions between the Centre and Tamil Nadu's ruling party over the NEP's language policy, with the DMK maintaining its firm opposition to the imposition of Hindi.
Uproar in Lok Sabha during Question Hour
Pradhan's sharp criticism of the DMK during the Question Hour in the second leg of the Budget Session of Parliament triggered an uproar, leading to protests by DMK MPs and a 30-minute adjournment of proceedings. Responding to a question on the PM SHRI scheme, Pradhan accused the Tamil Nadu government of political flip-flopping. "The Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign the MoU. But now they have changed their stand. Many non-BJP-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement," he added.
DMK stages a walkout in Rajya Sabha
In the Rajya Sabha, the DMK staged a walkout after raising the issue of the three-language policy and the issues of delimitation. The protest led to a war of words between the Treasury and Opposition benches. Union Health Minister JP Nadda slammed the opposition over the walkout, saying that they should read rules before giving notices for an adjournment motion. Nadda termed it irresponsible behaviour and said that opposition members, including LoP, should go for a refresher course and understand the rules and regulations. Referring to daily adjournment notices by opposition members, Nadda said it was a "vicious design to demean the institution of Parliament" and that the government is ready to discuss everything under rules.
Tamil Nadu CM on imposition of NEP
Earlier, amid the ongoing war of words over allegations of imposing the National Education Policy in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Stalin had lashed out at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and stated that he faced the consequences of reviving a fight he would never win. CM Stalin said, "The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside." It was the Union Education Minister who provoked us to write this series of letters when we were simply doing our job. He forgot his place and dared to threaten an entire state to accept Hindi imposition, and now he faces the consequences of reviving a fight he can never win. Tamil Nadu will not be blackmailed into surrendering."
"The biggest irony is that Tamil Nadu, which rejects NEP, has already achieved many of its goals, which the policy aims to reach only by 2030. This is like an LKG student lecturing a PhD holder. Dravidam does not take dictations from Delhi. Instead, it sets the course for the nation to follow," he further added.
Government's retort to Stalin's allegations
The government has once again reiterated that there will be no imposition of Hindi and blamed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for playing politics on the entire issue. The government made it clear that the NEP 2020 is based on the 5 pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability, and it ensures progressive and inclusive education for all.
The Centre also said that Stalin's 'politically motivated' opposition disregards the true essence of NEP 2020, and the Chief Minister should focus on embracing reforms that equip students for the future rather than misleading people.
Earlier, Dharmendra Pradhan hit out at the DMK government over its opposition to the NEP 2020. "The continued opposition to NEP 2020 for political reasons deprives students, teachers, and educational institutions in Tamil Nadu of the immense opportunities and resources that this policy offers. The policy is designed to be flexible, allowing states to customise its implementation to suit their unique educational needs," the minister wrote.
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