Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks about Tamil Nadu trigger protests in Lok Sabha
As the House reassembled, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) member Kanimozhi said she was “very pained and hurt” by a word Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan used
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) lawmakers on Monday protested against Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks about Tamil Nadu’s approach to implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme and prompted the 30-minute adjournment of Lok Sabha proceedings shortly after the second part of the Budget Session commenced.
Pradhan accused the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government of changing its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme. Responding to a question on the PM SHRI scheme, he said the Tamil Nadu government initially agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the central government on implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) and get funds in return. “But now they have changed the stand.”
Pradhan said non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement. “They are dishonest and are ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu. They are doing politics.” He added the state government agreed to the PM SHRI scheme and DMK lawmakers conveyed this to him. “But when they went back, they made a U-Turn. They are doing mischief with the lives of the students. They are misleading the people and doing injustice to students of Tamil Nadu.”
Pradhan said Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin also agreed initially. He added suddenly some super chief minister appeared and they took a U-Turn. “They just want to do politics.”
DMK lawmakers took exception to Pradhan’s remarks and raised slogans against the Union government. Speaker Om Birla asked them to return to their seats for the House to function. He adjourned the House until noon as the DMK members continued their protests.
As the House reassembled, DMK member Kanimozhi said she was “very pained and hurt” by a word Pradhan used. She said DMK lawmakers and the Tamil Nadu education minister met Pradhan for the release of funds. “...we have issues with the NEP and cannot accept it in full. ...the three language formula is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu.”
She said Stalin wrote to Pradhan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlining they have issues with NEP and cannot accept it entirely. “He also requested to release the funds,” she said. She maintained Tamil Nadu never accepted the NEP.
Pradhan responded to Kanimozhi saying he should not have used a word for the members of Tamil Nadu, the state government, and its people. “I withdraw my word if it has hurt anyone.”
Birla said since Pradhan withdrew the word, he too has directed expunging it from the records.
Stalin last month reiterated his stand against NEP. He said the opposition to it was not only over the imposition of Hindi. Stalin said it was about other issues as well that would have consequences on the future of students and social justice.
Stalin chaired a meeting of DMK lawmakers in Chennai on Sunday where they resolved to protect Tamil Nadu’s rights, saying the population-based delimitation would affect the southern as well as eastern states such as Odisha and West Bengal.
The delimitation is scheduled for 2026 to redefine the number of lawmakers a state sends to the Lok Sabha based on population. The exercise is projected to increase the Lok Sabha strength to 668. Uttar Pradesh’s tally was expected to increase from 80 to 143. Tamil Nadu’s number could rise to just 49 from 39. The government has allayed fears, saying southern states will get a fair share of seats.
