"Pained and hurt": DMK MP Kanimozhi condemns Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks on Tamil Nadu

New Delhi [India], March 10 (ANI): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (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."
The controversy stems from the ongoing debate over the National Education Policy (NEP), particularly the contentious three-language policy, which Tamil Nadu strongly opposes. Kanimozhi clarified that in the meeting, the Tamil Nadu representatives had clearly stated their concerns about the NEP.
"In our meeting, we had clearly said that we have issues with the NEP and we cannot accept it in full because the three-language policy is not acceptable to the people of Tamil Nadu," she said.
She further mentioned that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, formally outlining the state's concerns with the NEP and its opposition to the three-language policy.
"The CM of Tamil Nadu has written to the Prime Minister and the Education Minister saying that we have issues with the NEP and it cannot be accepted in total and requested the funds to be released," Kanimozhi added.
After the address, while addressing the media outside the Parliament, she claimed that the Union government was withholding over Rs 2,000 crores in school funds until the state agreed to the three-language policy.
Kanimozhi said, "The DMK MP raised the issue where the Union government has not released funds for Tamil Nadu, saying that unless the state government agrees to sign the NEP and the three-language policy, funds more than Rs 2,000 crores won't be released for the schools."
She further emphasized the inaccuracy of the Minister's statement in Parliament, adding, "The (Union Education) Minister got up and said that MPs from Tamil Nadu and opposition parties had met him and agreed to sign NEP, which is far from the truth. Our CM has written to the (Union Education) Minister and PM that we won't be signing the NEP... our CM has made this very clear and we have not changed it."
Kanimozhi also condemned the Union Education Minister's comments, calling them disrespectful. "Union Education Minister called our government, people, and Parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu liars, he hurt our feelings and Tamil Nadu's pride by calling us uncivilised... we condemn this strongly," she said.
Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had strongly criticized the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party regarding the ongoing controversy over the three-language policy in the New Education Policy.
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)