NEP Language Row: War Of Words Escalates Between Union Minister And MK Stalin

Tamil Nadu: The dispute between the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is becoming more serious. Replying to the Union Minister’s criticism over the language policy that the Tamil Nadu government is opposing progressive reforms in the name of politics, the irate chief minister warned not to hurl stones at beehive, provoking Tamil people.

After Stalin wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi opposing the linking of two  centrally sponsored programs with the National Education Policy (NEP) and refusing to implement the NEP and three-language policy, including the necessity of Hindi, Union Education Minister Pradhan had accused Stalin of having a “myopic vision.” The BJP leader also asked the chief minister to think about the interests of young learners. The chief minister had demanded the Centre not to impose the language.

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The DMK leader had alleged that the Union Government was holding state funds over for the implementation of the policy. The Tamil Nadu chief minister clarified his stance that he would not allow any measure inimical to the Tamil language as long as his party DMK exists.

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The chief minister said the union minister claims Tamil Nadu did not receive Rs 5,000 crore because it did not implement NEP schemes. “What will they do if we refuse to pay the taxes collected from Tamil Nadu? Federalism is based on cooperation, which is the foundation of our constitution,” Stalin said, adding that those who do not understand this philosophy are ruling the country today.

Stalin further said that the union minister claims they are developing regional languages, adding that they know how to develop Tamil. “Ask those who lost their mother tongue due to Hindi imposition. Tamil does not need their support for its growth,” he said.

The DMK leader retorted to the union minister’s ‘raise above politics’ comment saying that whether the blackmail that fund release only if the trilingual policy was accepted, not politics? The chief minister went on posing questions such as  imposing Hindi in the name of NEP, not politics? Is converting a multi-lingual and plural country into a single-language country and one nation, not politics? Is not converting the funds meant for a scheme as a ‘condition’ for implementing another scheme, not politics,” Stalin said.