The ongoing debate over the three-language formula in the National Education Policy (NEP) figured in Lok Sabha on Monday with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradesh lashing out at the DMK-led government alleging them of being "dishonest" over the implementation of Schools for Rising India scheme. Pradhan's remarks triggered protests by DMK MPs and his words were later expunged by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Stalin refutes Pradhan's statement The war of words between Stalin and Pradhan continued as the DMK president took to X to raise his objection to the Education Minister's statement. In a strongly-worded statement, Stalin said Pradhan thinks of himself as a king and speaks arrogantly and added that he needs to be disciplined. Refuting Pradhan’s statement in Parliament Monday, Stalin was quoted as saying by PTI that the state never accepted the scheme and added Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written a letter over the state’s rejection of the scheme. Sharing the letter sent by Pradhan dated August 30 last year, Stalin was quoted as saying by PTI that the DMK government functioned by respecting the views of the people unlike the BJP leaders who were bound by "words from Nagpur." "You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Does PM Narendra Modi accept this,?" Stalin asked in Tamil, in a post on X. pic.twitter.com/wKQ7FhX3rj — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 10, 2025 DMK MP T Sumathy's question triggered the face-off The Parliament face-off began when DMK MP T Sumathy, asking a supplementary question, claimed that around Rs 2,000 crore meant for Tamil Nadu had been diverted to other states due to its opposition to the NEP. Calling it “a death knell for cooperative federalism”, Sumathy asked whether the Centre could use funds as a tool for “revenge”, at the cost of schoolchildren. What did the letter posted by Stalin say? The highlighted portion of the letter written by Pradhan to Stalin, dated August 30, 2024 said, "I was happy to note when the State of Tamil Nadu gave an undertaking dated 15.03.2024 indicating their willingness to sign the PM SHRI MoU in the academic year 2024-25. After receiving the undertaking a draft MoU was sent by Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) to Tamil Nadu. However, I was surprised to see that the State responded with a modified MoU vide letter dated 06.07.2024 wherein key paragraph referring to the implementation of NEP 2020 IN entirety has been dropped. Just as the State is implementing Samagra Shiksha Scheme that is aligned with NEP 2020, it would be appropriate that the State comes forward to implement and showcase all the initiatives of NEP under PM SHRI scheme in order to develop government schools of the State as exemplar schools to facilitate best school education services." DMK protests over Pradhan's remarks DMK MP Kanimozhi condemned Pradhan for his remark and was quoted as saying by PTI the central minister's claim that CM Stalin has gone back on his word was a lie and it was meant to divert attention. Tamil Nadu MPs never told Pradhan that the state was ready to accept the NEP, three-language policy, Kanimozhi said. Replying to a question on the PM SHRI scheme, 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. Pradhan withdrew the word that was objected to by the DMK MPs and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla directed that it be expunged from the records. 'Who is the Super CM', Annamalai's jibe Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai came to the fore saying DMK MPs think they can always spread half-truths and did not expect to be exposed on the floor of the Parliament by Pradhan. Annamalai was quoted as saying by PTI, "TN CM says that his decisions are the reflection of the people. Do you think the views of your son, daughter, son-in-law and the DMK leaders & their relatives who run private CBSE/Matriculation schools be accounted as the views of the people." "Who is the Super Chief Minister upon whose insistence the Tamil Nadu government backtracked from signing the MoU for PM Shri Schools after initially accepting it," the former IPS officer asked in a social media post. 'Stalin vs Centre' Last week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in the southern state for CISF Day event in Ranipet, had urged Stalin to introduce medical and engineering courses in Tamil medium in the state. Prior to this, Stalin had alleged the BJP of chauvinism and treating people in the southern state like second-class citizens by denying its fair share for its objection to the NEP. In a post on X, Stalin had said: “Demanding linguistic equality is not chauvinism. Do you want to know what Chauvinism looks like? Chauvinism is naming the three criminal laws that govern 140 crore citizens in a language that Tamils cannot even pronounce or comprehend by reading. Chauvinism is treating the state that contributes the most to the nation as second-class citizens and denying its fair share for refusing to swallow the poison called NEP.” What is wrong with NEP policy? Kanimozhi answers DMK MP Kanimozhi, who has been vocal about her opposition to the three-language formula, in an exclusive interview with The Indian Express had said: "What is right with the three-language policy? Students have enough burden in schools. You have to learn so many subjects, and on top of that you are forced to learn three languages instead of two. Also, not all children are interested or have the aptitude to learn so many languages. One is your mother tongue, you grow up with it. There is a comfort in learning your mother tongue. Next, is English because if you want to go for your higher studies or work or even as a link language across the globe, English does help you. Learning another language over and above these two should be a child’s choice. Why are we forcing every student to learn three languages or four languages? Even countries such as Finland, which are doing very well in terms of education, do not force their students to learn more than two languages. So, why are we doing this?" NEP would not impose Hindi: Pradhan had said Recently, Pradhan asserted that the NEP would not impose Hindi on states and alleged that Tamil Nadu's opposition had "political reasons" behind it. “We have never said in NEP 2020 that only Hindi will be there; we have only said that education will be based on mother tongue, in Tamil Nadu, it will be Tamil,” Pradhan told the media earlier. “I don’t want to answer to the political ambitions of few people. NEP 2020 is focused on different languages of India, be it Hindi, Tamil, Odia, or Punjabi. All the languages have equal importance. In Tamil Nadu, few are opposing because of politics,” Pradhan said. Funds under Samagra Shiksha scheme not yet released The Centre had withheld funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, amounting to Rs 2,152 crore and Pradhan had earlier said the funds would be set aside unless Tamil Nadu implemented the NEP and adopted the three-language formula. A few weeks ago, Stalin sought the release of the amount in a letter to PM Modi. While the NDA-led Centre has maintained its stance that NEP is aimed at ensuring employment for youth across region, Tamil Nadu has long perceived it as an attempt to impose Hindi in the state. The opposition to 'Hindi-imposition The southern state, where Dravidian ideology is prominent, has almost a century-old history of anti-Hindi agitations and it implements a two-language system in which students are taught Tamil and English. The three-language-formula has been a bone a contention over the years. The University Education Commission of 1948-49, chaired by Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had favoured Hindi as India’s federal language, to be used for all federal activities such as administrative, educational and cultural while regional languages would serve the provinces. Meanwhile, the Commission acknowledged that abandoning English would be impractical immediately and added it needed to continue as “the medium for Federal business”. Assembly polls will be held in Tamil Nadu next year.
