DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan expressed serious concerns over the proposed three-language policy`s effects on Tamil Nadu education and charged that the Central government was using it to “impose religious ideas on the education system”, ANI reported.
Speaking to ANI, Elangovan said that the state government holds the Constitutional right to legislate on educational matters.
“As per the Constitution, we (state) can legislate on education as it is in the Concurrent List,” Elangovan said.
“Secondly, the Department of Education should explain what is new in this Education Policy,” he added, criticising the apparent redundancy of the policy, ANI reported.
Elangovan highlighted that the government should focus on improving educational standards in BJP-ruled states, where he believes the policy could first be tested for its effectiveness.
“First, the policy should be implemented in BJP-ruled states and improve their standards. The purpose of this policy is to impose religious ideas on the education system, which we will never allow and we will never allow Hindi,” he said.
Earlier, DMK MP A Raja on Saturday had strongly reacted to PM Modi`s remarks on language, accusing him of attempting to create divisions in the country, ANI reported.
He also raised questions on PM`s stance and asserted that BJP is fostering division.
“The Prime Minister said in an event that some people are trying to separate the country in the name of language. If you doubt that we will separate the country in the name of language, should we not also doubt that you are trying to divide the country in the name of religion?” Raja said, ANI reported.
He further warned that there will be a strong resistance if the PM continues to speak on the language issue.
“If you still speak on language, our Deputy Chief (Minister) will say, `Go Back, Modi.` We (MMK MPs) will say, `Shut up Modi` in Parliament,” ANI reported.
Saying that his party is not advocating separatism, Raja said, “We are not separatists, but it is you who force us.”
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier had strongly criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin`s letter to PM Modi, accusing him of raising “imaginary concerns” driven by political motivations, ANI reported.
While addressing a press conference, Pradhan emphasised that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is not imposing any language on state.
“One point I want to re-emphasise is that the NEP is not recommending the imposition of any language on the respective students of a state. That means, in no way the NEP is recommending imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu,” Dharmendra Pradhan said, ANI reported.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had written a letter to PM Modi regarding the release of `Samagra Shiksha` funds for the state.
In the letter, Stalin expressed concerns regarding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan`s earlier statement where he mentioned that Tamil Nadu`s `Samagra Shiksha` funds will not be released until the state implements the `three language` policy mentioned in NEP 2020.
(With inputs from ANU)
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