Cuddalore: The tussle between Centre and Tamil Nadu over National Education Policy (NEP) and devolution of funds got more acerbic on Friday when chief minister M K Stalin said it would take “just one second to say we will not pay the tax that the Union govt is collecting from the state”. But then, he added, federalism is about giving and taking.
“Do not hurl stones at a beehive. Do not provoke the unique spirit of Tamil people. Do not long to witness the resurgence of Tamil defiance. As long as I am here, as long as DMK is here, as long as Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin is here, no anti-Tamil, anti-Tamil Nadu, or anti-Tamilian agenda will succeed,” he told a public meeting in Cuddalore.
Responding to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s reported statement that Tamil Nadu will lose Rs 5,000 crore for refusing to implement the PM SHRI scheme, Stalin said the Union govt was jealous of the growth of states and was trying to impede their development. After sucking out all state taxes through the GST regime, it is refusing to disburse the dues of the states, he said. “They are refusing to announce new schemes and do not release funds even for joint projects of the state and union govts,” said Stalin.
“Federalism is about giving and receiving — that is the foundation of the Constitution. The real disaster for India is having the Union govt which fails to understand this fundamental principle. The National Education Policy is not designed to promote education but to advance the agenda of making India a homogenous nation. Since the direct imposition would invite resistance, they disguise it under the veil of education policy,” Stalin said.
“In our Dravidian Model govt, one path is dedicated to people’s progress, and the other is to break obstacles that stand in the way. Tamil Nadu govt is moving forward on this dual path. These hurdles are not new to us. No matter where obstacles arise, we have been trained to break through them. That is why we continue our victorious journey!” Stalin said.
Stalin said the Union govt created numerous barriers to hinder the progress of Tamil Nadu and its people. “Every year, ₹2,152 crore is allocated for Tamil Nadu’s students and teachers. Yesterday, as the Tamil Nadu chief minister, I wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the immediate release of education funds. In response, today, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sent a reply, advising us not to politicise education. I ask: Who is politicising education? You or us?
“If we do not accept the three-language policy, you threaten to withhold funds for the education sector. Is this not ‘blackmail’? Is this not politics? Forcing India’s education policy upon us—is this not politics? Turning a multilingual country like India into a single-language nation. Is this not politics? Attempting to convert a nation of diverse ethnicity into a homogeneous one. Is this not politics? Withholding funds for one scheme as leverage to impose another. Is this not politics? You must reflect on who is truly playing politics. You or us,” the chief minister asked.
Pooh-poohing Pradhan’s claim that the Union govt wanted to promote the mother tongue through NEP, Stalin said Tamil Nadu govt knows how to nurture its mother tongue, Tamil. “Ask those who lost their mother tongues to Hindi imposition. They will tell you the dangers of your conspiracy! Mother Tamil does not stand before you with folded hands, seeking your intervention for its growth,” he said.
Stalin said people in Tamil Nadu were oppressed for centuries, denied entry into schools and prevented from getting jobs. “We implemented social justice policies such as caste-based reservations, and provided education to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward classes, and most backward classes. This foundation has enabled many to get education and jobs. The National Education Policy has been introduced to dismantle this social justice system. Through this, SCs, STs, BCs, and MBCs in Tamil Nadu will have their progress hindered. Once again, they will be prevented from accessing education,” he said.