"Govt committed to Tamil language...at times you have to be multilingual": Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has taken the fight to 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 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 have 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.
Earlier while speaking in the Rajya Sabha the Union Education Minister lashed out at the opposition for claiming that the government wants to divide society while using languages and said that the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never use language to do such "sin."
"There are certain things going on, let me first clarify in my Odia society Lord Jagganath is everybody. The king of Puri is not a king but a philosopher kind of person. He is the living deity to everyone. My king married to the Queen of Kanchi. My mother is from Tamil Nadu. I am the son of a Tamil Nadu lady. Another House yesterday, In my society mother and sisters are above everything. If I hurt anybody if any of my words, I beg an apology. PM Modi has always mentioned the Tamil language is an ancient language. The Tamil language is nobody's monopoly. We are committed to the Tamil language. Truth is always painful," Pradhan said in the Rajya Sabha.
Pradhan mentioned his conversation with Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy and said that nobody is imposing anything on anyone.
"I asked Sudha Murthy ji how many languages you know? In reply, she said by birth she is a Kannadiga, by profession she learned English, by practice, she learned Sanskrit, Hindi, Odia, Telegu and Marathi. What is wrong in that? Who is imposing on Sudha Murthyji to learn this language? Nobody is imposing anything on anyone. This is a democratic society and at times you must be multilingual," he added.
Pradhan also said that for the first time, NEP provisions seamless transfer of toddlers from Angandvadi play schools to a common curriculum framework with collaboration from the Health, Women and Child Development and Education Department.
He further said that the Central Government would take the country forward along with Tamil Nadu.
"You can call me a fool, but you cannot make fool of all the Tamil Nadu people all the time. You can abuse me, you can scold me, I am ready to accept but for God's sake don't be so dramatic. Please come out of the old ideas. We all must come together and build a new country," he asserted.
Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin firmly rejected the National Education Policy (NEP) and expressed his concerns about the central government's pressure tactics and their potential negative impact on Tamil Nadu's education system.
"In the name of National Education Policy, they impose policies with the intention to destroy education in Tamil Nadu fully. We will not accept the National Education Policy. I repeat, not only Rs 2000 crores, even if you give 100,000 crores, we will not accept this hazardous NEP scheme," Stalin said.
ON Monday, a war of words broke out between Dharmendra Pradhan and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam after Pradhan termed the Tamil Nadu government as "dishonest" and the people of the state as "uncivilised".
"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 making mischief. They are undemocratic and uncivilised," Pradhan said.
Earlier today, DMK MPs staged a protest outside Parliament against the three-language policy.
The controversy stems from the ongoing debate over the National Education Policy (NEP), particularly the contentious three-language policy, which Tamil Nadu strongly opposes. (ANI)