Synopsis
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has condemned Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for labeling DMK MPs as 'uncivilised' during a parliamentary session. The clash highlights ongoing tensions between Tamil Nadu and the central government regarding education policies and funding.Key Takeaways
- M.K. Stalin criticizes Dharmendra Pradhan for offensive remarks.
- The dispute centers around funding and the NEP implementation.
- Stalin questions Pradhan's authority to insult Tamil Nadu MPs.
- Conflict reflects broader tensions between Tamil Nadu and the BJP.
- Parliamentary exchanges escalate, leading to Lok Sabha's adjournment.
Chennai, March 10 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, vehemently criticized Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for labeling Tamil Nadu’s Members of Parliament (MPs) as ‘uncivilised’ during a parliamentary session on Monday (March 10).
In a statement on X, Stalin took issue with Pradhan’s comments, asserting, “Education Minister @dpradhanbjp, who speaks with such arrogance as if he sees himself as royalty, should reconsider his language.” The Chief Minister further challenged, “What right do you have, who misleads Tamil Nadu by withholding its rightful funds, to deem Tamil Nadu MPs uncivilised? This is an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu. Does the esteemed Prime Minister @narendramodi endorse this?”
Stalin also shared a copy of Pradhan’s letter dated August 30, 2024, where the Union Minister recognized Tamil Nadu’s outright rejection of the National Education Policy (NEP) and the trilingual policy in the PM-SHRI Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In what seemed to be a response to Pradhan’s ‘Super CM’ comment aimed at the DMK leadership, Stalin retorted, “Mr. Pradhan, we operate solely based on the wishes of the populace! Unlike you, we are not bound by the commands from Nagpur.”
He emphasized, “We have neither consented to execute your scheme nor can anyone compel us to do so. Just answer this — can you release the funds allocated for Tamil Nadu students and the taxes collected from us or not?”
Stalin’s pointed critique is part of a larger ongoing dispute between Tamil Nadu and the BJP-led central government regarding the rollout of the NEP and the trilingual policy. The Centre has been urging states to embrace the NEP in order to access education-related funding.
It is noteworthy that in his letter dated August 30, 2024, Pradhan referenced a previous correspondence from the Tamil Nadu government, dated March 15, 2024, expressing his willingness to sign the PM-SHRI MoU for the 2024-25 academic year. However, Pradhan pointed out that when the draft MoU was sent to the state, Tamil Nadu replied with a modified version on July 6, 2024, which excluded references to the full implementation of NEP 2020.
Pradhan contended that since Tamil Nadu is already executing the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which aligns with the NEP 2020, it would be fitting for the state to implement all NEP initiatives under the PM-SHRI scheme. He asserted that this would aid in developing government schools into exemplary institutions for quality education.
The conflict between Tamil Nadu and the Union government intensified further on Monday (March 10), leading to heated debates in Parliament and an eventual adjournment of the Lok Sabha on the inaugural day of the current session.
The confrontation began when DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian from Chennai South criticized the Union government for withholding funds due to Tamil Nadu’s refusal to adopt the NEP.
In a sharp response, Union Minister Pradhan accused DMK MPs of being “uncivilised” and jeopardizing the future of Tamil Nadu’s students by rejecting the PM-SHRI agreement associated with NEP 2020. This clash arises amid the DMK’s efforts to rally political parties nationwide against the BJP-led administration’s policies regarding education, language, and state funding.
