New Delhi, March 11: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reaffirmed his previous statement in the Lok Sabha regarding the Tamil Nadu government's stance on the centrally sponsored PM SHRI scheme. The scheme aims to strengthen schools managed by the Centre, State, or local bodies. Pradhan reiterated that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had taken a "U-turn" in agreeing to implement the initiative. He also urged Chief Minister MK Stalin to stop viewing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 through a political lens.
In a post on X, Pradhan shared a letter dated March 15, 2024, from the then Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena to M Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Education. The letter stated that Tamil Nadu was eager to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of PM SHRI schools in the state.
Pradhan responded to recent accusations by DMK MPs and Chief Minister Stalin, who had claimed that he misled Parliament about Tamil Nadu's consent for the PM SHRI schools. "I stand by my statement in Parliament and am sharing the consent letter from the Tamil Nadu School Education Department dated March 15, 2024," Pradhan posted.
The Union Minister criticized the DMK government's "sudden change of stance on the NEP," accusing the party of shifting its position for "political brownie points" and to revive its political fortunes. He said, "DMK MPs and Hon'ble CM Stalin can stack lies as high as they want, but the truth will eventually come out. The DMK government, led by CM Stalin, has much to answer to the people of Tamil Nadu. Raking up the language issue as a diversionary tactic and denying facts as per their convenience will not shield their governance and welfare deficit."
Pradhan further emphasized, "This retrograde politics of DMK is a great disservice to the bright future of Tamil Nadu and its students. I humbly request CM Stalin to stop viewing NEP 2020 from a political perspective. Please prioritize the interests of our children in Tamil Nadu over political gains."
The controversy began on Monday when Pradhan's remarks about the Tamil Nadu government's position on the NEP sparked an uproar in the Lok Sabha. DMK MPs disrupted proceedings, and Pradhan's comments about Tamil Nadu MPs were expunged from the record. The incident led to protests across Tamil Nadu, with DMK supporters condemning the Minister.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister MK Stalin, speaking at a government welfare assistance ceremony in Chengalpattu, firmly rejected the NEP and criticized Pradhan's remarks. He argued, "Instead of fostering education, the National Education Policy aims to deprive students of quality education. It would privatize education, limit higher education access to the wealthy, mix education with religion, introduce public exams for young children, and impose NEET-like entrance exams for arts, science, and engineering students. This would give the Union government more control over education."
Stalin's comments reflected the growing tension between the central government and Tamil Nadu over the NEP and related educational policies.
