DMK protests against NEP, Hindi imposition in Lok Sabha
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MPs on Monday protested against the National Education Policy (NEP) and Hindi imposition in the Lok Sabha, triggering a heated exchange that led to the House being adjourned until noon, shortly after the second leg of the Budget Session commenced.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit out at the M.K. Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government over its decision to not implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. He accused the state government of being “dishonest” and “ruining” the future of students by making a complete “U-turn” on the agreement.
“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,” Pradhan said while replying to a question on the PM SHRI scheme.
As Pradhan continued his remarks, DMK MPs shouted slogans demanding justice. Speaker Om Birla expunged some of Pradhan’s remarks after DMK MP Kanimozhi objected to his choice of words, saying she was “pained and hurt.”
She said: "I am very pain and hurt that the minister (Dharmendra Pradhan) has called the members of Parliament and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilised…In our meeting, we had clearly said that we have issues with the NEP and we cannot accept it in full. The three-language policy is not acceptable to the people of Tamil Nadu. The CM of Tamil Nadu has written to the Prime Minister and the Education Minister saying that we have issues with the NEP and it cannot be accepted in total…"
A heated exchange followed between Birla and DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran. Birla told Maran that his words were not on record but warned that if they were, he would have taken action and sent him out of the House. “Go to your seat and say it on record, and I will act against you now,” Birla said.
Kanimozhi reiterated DMK’s opposition to the NEP, particularly the three-language policy. “The Tamil Nadu chief minister [M.K. Stalin] has written to the Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] and the minister [Pradhan] regarding issues with the NEP and has requested that funds be released,” she said.
The controversy over Hindi imposition intensified after the Union government refused to release funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan for school education in Tamil Nadu, citing the state’s refusal to fully endorse the NEP.
Responding to Pradhan, DMK MP T. Sumathy said the state education minister and his delegation never agreed to the policy. “CM Stalin will never sign the NEP or accept the three-language formula,” she asserted.
In a pointed remark, Sumathy reminded the House that “education is still a matter in the concurrent list; this is an attack on the federal structure.”
She further questioned, “Will the Union government assure Parliament that no state will face a fund cut for rejecting a policy not mandated by law?”
Later Kanimozhi MP told reporters outside Lok Sabha: “DMK MP raised the issue where Union government has not released funds for Tamil Nadu saying that unless state govt agrees to sign the NEP, the 3-language policy, funds more than Rs 2000 crores won't be released for the schools. The (Union Education) Minister got up and said that MPs from Tamil Nadu and opposition parties had met him and agreed to sign NEP, which is far from truth…our CM has written to the (Union Education) Minister and PM that we won't be signing the NEP…our CM has made this very clear and we have not changed it…Union Education) Minister called our govt, people and Parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu liars, he hurt our feelings and Tamil Nadu's pride by calling us uncivilised…we condemn this strongly…"
