New Delhi | Unfazed by criticism from the opposition, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday again attacked the Tamil Nadu government over its stand on the new National Education Policy (NEP), accusing it of creating "fear psychosis" about the three-language formula while doing little to promote Tamil in the state.
Tamil language is declining and colonial language is increasing in Tamil Nadu government schools, he said and asserted the central government is not trying to impose any language on any state.
Pradhan said 67 per cent of students are now in English medium schools in the state, while Tamil medium enrolment has dropped from 54 per cent (2018-19) to 36 per cent (2023-24). Tamil enrolment fell by 7.3 lakh in government-aided schools, reflecting a deep shift in preference.
He called on the DMK government to support multilingualism to cater to the demands of the outside world and appealed to it to think of the interests of the students of the state before taking a decision on the implementation of the NEP.
Replying to a debate on the discussion on the working of the Ministry of Education in the Rajya Sabha, Pradhan said that the country wants to progress with Tamil Nadu as its growth engine.
He noted that youngsters from Tamil Nadu should not be denied the opportunity to grow and that he is ready to face any personal attacks from the DMK government.
The minister said that while the students are increasingly opting for English in the state, the Tamil Nadu government is questioning the need for the three-language formula.
Pradhan asserted that his government doesn't need any certificate from anyone about its commitment to the Tamil language.
"Nobody is imposing anything on anyone. This is a democratic society and the order of the time is you have to be multilingual," Pradhan said.
Noting that he is proud of Tamil, which is an ancient language, he asked what was the Tamil Nadu government's opposition to the NEP.
"I am proud of the Tamil language. What is your opposition to NEP? It is advocating that the medium of instruction till class 5 should be Tamil language. We are promoting Sengol and that is our understanding of the Tamil language," Pradhan said.
Tamil language is declining and colonial language is increasing in Tamil Nadu government schools, he said.
"Don't create fear psychosis. Nobody is imposing anything on you," Pradhan said while urging the state government not to deprive the youth of the NEP.
"In Tamil Nadu, the medium of instruction should be Tamil. This is in NEP. I am not against English. The student has to go to the international market. They must learn and understand English as we have to compete globally.
"But, for critical understanding, the mother tongue is primary and that is the primary precondition of national education policy. Up to 5th standard, mother tongue orientation education is a must, and that is what NEP says," the minister stated.
He said as per the NEP, it is up to the students to take up Tamil language as per their choice after class 8th.
"I fail to understand that in Tamil Nadu, those who are advocating two language formulas, in their own government schools Tamil language is declining and colonial language is increasing. This is an alarming thing... don't create fear psychosis. Nobody is imposing anything on you," Pradhan noted.
Pradhan stated that it was not his intention to hurt anybody.
"I appeal to my colleagues from Tamil Nadu, let them abuse me personally, today the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has said that PM Shree means Sanskrit... We have to take India to new heights and we will take forward the country under Tamil Nadu," he stated.
Attacking the DMK government, he said: "You cannot make a fool of Tamil Nadu people. I am ready to accept but don't deny the opportunity for youngsters of Tamil Nadu. Don't be so sematic, don't be so small. Please come out of old ideas. We all have to create a new country."
Later in a post on X, Pradhan said that "DMK’s latest cacophony on language imposition and its stance on NEP’s three-language formula exposes their hypocrisy.
"Opposition to NEP 2020 has nothing to do with preservation of Tamil pride, language and culture but everything to do with gaining political dividends.
"DMK bats for promotion of Tamil language. But, the truth is that they have done little to promote and preserve Tamil language, literature and literary icons," he said.
The Tamil Nadu government and the Centre have been at loggerheads over implementation of the new National Education Policy and three-language formula proposed in the policy.
Pradhan's remarks in the Lok Sabha on Monday created a furore when he said the state government was "dishonest" and accused it of doing a U-turn on the issue of implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.
DMK members accused Pradhan of insulting Tamil Nadu prompting him to withdraw the remarks.
The state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and in return, the central government provides the funds.
Pradhan on Tuesday said he stands by his statement about Tamil Nadu's "U-turn" on implementing NEP.
Attacking DMK, Pradhan alleged that the party cannot preach anyone and recalled how late AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa was insulted on the floor of the House in Tamil Nadu. "Nobody has the right to outrage the modesty of a senior leader like Jayalalithaa," he said.
"We don't need a certificate from anyone that we are committed to the Tamil language or not... the truth always enlightens many people but pinches a few. Truth is always painful," he stated.
Pradhan stated that the Modi government wants to be the Vishwa Bandhu and not Vishwa Guru as propagated by few.
"We don't have to be Vishwa Guru, but Vishwa Bandhu. These are Prime Minister Narendra Modi's words," he asserted.
Pradhan said the central government has decided to set up 50,000 Atal tinkering labs in the next five years.
In the coming times, such labs would be set up on a pro-rata basis based on population, he said.
"One of the major recommendations of NEP is on how to see India's heritage and culture. But, we don't want to impose anything on anyone. We have the mandate of people on how we should view our country's heritage," the minister said.
Certificates and degrees have their own importance, but capability and skills are also important, he added.
Pradhan said that India is a multilingual country. He said that NCERT has created primers in 104 languages to enable students to be literate and enable better studying.
Pradhan also stated that the enrollment of education has risen and the gross enrolment ratio has seen maximum growth in the last few decades.
Education and skill development have to be together and a roadmap has to be prepared to keep up with the aspirations of children in the country, he said.
New Delhi | AIADMK member M Thambidurai on Tuesday attacked DMK for joining hands with the Congress that introduced Hindi in Tamil Nadu.
During a discussion on the working of the Education Ministry, Thambidurai asked the Centre to share the number of CBSE schools which the ruling party in Tamil Nadu has requested for setting up in the state.
"Who is responsible for the three-language formula? It is the Congress government. Who introduced Hindi? Congress government. Why are they (DMK) continuing with the Congress?" Thambidurai said.
DMK has opposed the Centre's move to introduce Hindi in the course curriculum under National Education Policy.
"They (Congress) brought the UGC nominee and also the three language formula, Hindi imposition. All done by the Congress government. Now they (DMK) have joined them (Congress) and are playing a game," Thambidurai said.
New Delhi | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday lashed out at the DMK over the language row as she accused it of hypocrisy, saying the "elderly person" they worship used to describe Tamil as a "barbaric" language which cannot even help beggars get alms.
In a fiery speech in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said DMK people idolise a person who spoke "disparagingly" against Tamil language.
"I do not want to name him, but the moment I read the passages, anyone with a small, faint familiarity with Tamil will know who I'm speaking about. So when this person speaks about Tamil and much horribly, there's no objection.
"On the contrary, they would keep his photo. They will also say he is our Dravidian icon," she said while quoting the "elderly person" from various Tamil magazines.
While the BJP leader did not take the name of the "elderly person", she was apparently referring to Periyar, foremost leader of the Dravidian movement.
Sitharaman also regretted that the DMK MPs did not even condemn a caricature portraying Prime Minster Narendra Modi in chains before US President Donald Trump.
She said action will be taken against those behind the cartoon (now withdrawn) published in the online version of 'Vikatan Plus'.
"...when the cartoon is done about honourable prime minister, do you want all of us to sit and watch it? Certainly action will be taken, and I'm happy Vikatan cartoon was pulled down. And for that, you have sympathy," she said, adding if somebody says anything against the Tamil Nadu chief minister, the person is "arrested midnight".
Continuing her attack on the DMK, Sitharaman said the ruling party in Tamil Nadu has double standards regarding Tamil language.
She pointed out that for just saying "your protest are uncivil", they (DMK) made Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan withdraw his statement.
"But a man who repeatedly says Tamil is a barbaric language, they keep his photograph in every room, they garland him and worship him and say he is the icon of Dravidian movement. Look at their hypocrisy," the finance minister said.
Pradhan's remarks in the Lok Sabha on Monday criticising the Tamil Nadu government for refusing to implement the National Education Policy and doing a "U-turn" on the issue for "politics" drew angry protests from the DMK, disrupting proceedings in the House.
"They are dishonest and they are ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu ... they are misleading the people," Pradhan said while replying to a query on the Centre not releasing funds for the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.
Hitting back, the DMK said it had clearly told the minister "we cannot accept" the NEP "in full" and the three-language formula "is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu".
It said the Centre cannot stop the release of budgetary allocation for education on the issue of implementing the NEP.