NEP is a revolution, not saffron or green: Sukanta Majumdar slams Stalin's remark

New Delhi [India], March 13 (ANI): Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday slammed Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin's comments on the National Education Policy (NEP), saying there is nothing saffron in the policy and called it a revolution in India's education system.
Speaking to ANI, Majumdar said, "There is nothing saffron or green in the National Education Policy. The NEP is a revolution in India's education system. The main thrust of the NEP is given to learning through the mother tongue, which is Tamil in the case of Tamil Nadu. After the eighth standard, a student can select any language from a list of 22 languages to study as the third language."
On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticised the central government, labelling the NEP as a "saffronise policy" aimed at promoting Hindi rather than developing India, alleging that the policy threatens to destroy Tamil Nadu's education system.
"National Education Policy is not education policy, it is saffronise policy. The policy was not created to develop India but to develop Hindi. We are opposing the Policy as that would destroy the Tamil Nadu education system completely," CM Stalin said in Tiruvallur.
Stalin accused the central government of withholding funds to coerce the state into accepting the NEP.
"We are asking for your tax share, which we paid with our efforts. What is the problem with this? Is it fair to threaten without releasing funds for the welfare of 43 lakh schools? As we didn't accept NEP, they are refusing to release funds that belong to Tamil Nadu. We would have welcomed the scheme if it brought everyone into education. But is NEP like that? NEP has all the factors that remove people from education. This is how this policy is, and that's why we are opposing it," he added.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has denied allegations of Hindi imposition, stating that the policy allows states to choose their own languages.
On Tuesday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan challenged the DMK government in Tamil Nadu over the three-language policy and NEP, accusing MK Stalin of using the issue as a diversion.
"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 has 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. (ANI)