"Dharmendra Pradhan lied": DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran denies agreement on NEP

New Delhi (India), March 10 (ANI): Amidst the ongoing debate on the National Education Policy inside the Parliament, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Dayanidhi Maran has strongly refuted claims made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan that the Tamil Nadu government had agreed to sign the National Education Policy (NEP).
Maran, in his remarks, clarified that the DMK has never consented to the NEP or its controversial three-language policy, which has sparked significant opposition in Tamil Nadu.
Maran stated, "Dharmendra Pradhan lied by saying that DMK govt had agreed (to sign NEP). DMK never agreed to NEP or 3-language policy, all we said is that we can't. Why should our students in Tamil Nadu learn 3 languages, whereas students from North India learn only one language?"
He further defended Tamil Nadu's position on language, stressing that the opposition was not against Hindi but rather the compulsory imposition of three languages.
"We are not against Hindi. if there are students who want to learn Hindi, they are free to do so, but it should not be compulsory," Maran added.
Earlier, DMK MP Kanimozhi has expressed her strong disapproval after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan referred to the members of Parliament of DMK, the Tamil Nadu government, and the people of Tamil Nadu as "uncivilised" in his response in Parliament.
Kanimozhi, in her Lok Sabha address, stated, "I am very pained and hurt that the minister in his reply in the parliament (Dharmendra Pradhan) has called the members of Parliament, the Tamil Nadu Government, and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilised."
Meanwhile, during his address in Lok Sabha, Pradhan accused the DMK of being "dishonest" and playing "politics" at the cost of Tamil Nadu students' futures.
"They (DMK) are dishonest. They are not committed to the students of Tamil Nadu. They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics. They are doing mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said.
In the Rajya Sabha, the DMK staged a walkout after raising the issue of the three language policy and the issues of delimitation.
Health Minister, JP Nadda, slammed the opposition over walkout, saying that they should read the rules before giving notices for an adjournment motion.
Nadda termed it irresponsible behavior and said that opposition members, including LoP, should go for a refresher course to understand rules and regulations. Referring to daily adjournment notices by opposition members, Nadda said it was a "vicious design to demean the institution of Parliament" and gthat the overnment is ready to discuss everything under rules. (ANI)