"New education policy is impossible today": Tamil Nadu Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan

Thiagarajan said, "Implementing the new education policy is impossible today as there is no funding or infrastructure to support it. Tamil Nadu has excelled in education because of its commitment to providing equal education to all."

"Instead of addressing these concerns, BJP representatives divert the issue by personally questioning where the children of 34 ministers study. If individuals want additional learning, they can take extra classes. But for Tamil Nadu's 8 crore people, the existing education system is the best," he added.

He further said that during Indira Gandhi's rule, the National Education Policy (NEP) was introduced and later passed as a law in Parliament after necessary amendments.

"However, NEP 2020 has been forcefully implemented without passing it as a law. Instead, they are pressuring states by withholding funds. In the education policies introduced after 1968, there was a recommendation to learn South Indian languages. However, due to the lack of qualified teachers, this policy failed in non-Hindi-speaking states within 20 years," he added.

He claimed that even in Uttar Pradesh, the center could not fully implement the one-language policy. "Yet, they have stopped PM-SHRI funding and continue to speak in an aggressive manner, like rowdies. NEP 2020 is like teaching an LKG student and a higher education student in the same way," he stated.

"A BJP representative questioned what language my children studied in. My two sons, Palani and Vel, studied under the two-language policy from LKG to their undergraduate degrees. We will continue to oppose any policy that suppresses India's progress. If they successfully build a society where students educated under the three-language policy excel, we are open to discussion. Until then, Tamil Nadu will follow the two-language policy," the Tamil Nadu minister added.

"In India's history, many governments have come to power, but today, the central government is overstepping its authority. Unlike other countries where states (or provinces) hold significant power, India is heading toward a scenario where constituency delimitation will cause the loss of diverse representation," he stated.

He said that the Southern states, contributing 45% to India's economy, have a balanced population growth, whereas northern states, with a higher population of economically weaker sections, receive more funding due to their larger population.

"If this continues, future constituency delimitation will lead to reduced representation for the South. That is why the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is working to unite the southern states," the minister said.

"Tamil Nadu will win. Everyone must stand together in this struggle," he said.

Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a scathing attack on the central government, labeling the National Education Policy (NEP) as a "saffronized policy" aimed at promoting Hindi rather than developing India, alleging that the policy threatens to destroy Tamil Nadu's education system.

The central government, however, maintains that the NEP aims to promote multilingualism and flexibility in language education. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has denied allegations of Hindi imposition, stating that the policy allows states to choose their own languages.

On Tuesday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan challenged the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu on the three-language policy and the NEP. In a post on X, the minister alleged that raking the language issue was a diversionary tactic from MK Stalin.

"I stand by my statement made in the Parliament and am sharing the consent letter from the Tamil Nadu School Education Department dated 15th March 2024. DMK MPs and Hon'ble CM can stack lies as high as they want, but the truth does not bother knocking when it comes crashing down. The DMK dispensation led by Hon'ble CM Stalin has a lot to answer to the people of Tamil Nadu. Raking the language issue as a diversionary tactic and denying facts as per their convenience will not shield their governance and welfare deficit," he posted on X. (ANI)