Dharmendra Pradhan, DMK MPs engage in war of words as debate over NEP rocks Parliament
Dharmendra Pradhan, DMK MPs engage in war of words as debate over NEP rocks Parliament
| Video Credit:
The Hindu
Strongly reacting to the controversial remarks made by Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan in the Lok Sabha, which have since been withdrawn, about MPs from Tamil Nadu on Monday (March 10, 2025), Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wanted to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed with the comments insulting the people of the State.
M.K. Stalin. File
| Photo Credit:
S.S. Kumar
“Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, who assumes that he is a king and speaks with arrogance, should mind his tongue. You, who have been deceiving [us] by not giving funds to Tamil Nadu, are saying Tamil Nadu MPs are uncivilised?” Mr. Stalin charged in a social media post.
Mr. Stalin furher said: “You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Is Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepting this?” The CM went on to cite a communication from Mr. Pradhan and said: “Isn’t it you who sent a letter saying that the Tamil Nadu government rejected the MoU for PM SHRI over the NEP [National Education Policy] and the three-language policy,” Mr. Stalin asked, sharing a copy of the communication on social media.
Directly addressing the Minister, Mr. Stalin said: “Mr. Pradhan, we act only by respecting the sentiments of the people, unlike you, obliging by the words from Nagpur [RSS headquarters]!” The CM said: “We did not come forward to implement your programme. When that is the case, no one can force us to implement it.”
Mr. Stalin further said: “Just clarify whether you will release the funds due to the students of Tamil Nadu, which you had collected from us as tax.”
Earlier in the day, the Lok Sabha witnessed noisy scenes when Mr. Pradhan, while responding to concerns raised by Chennai South MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian, made remarks questioning the civility and democratic nature of the MPs from the State.
Published – March 10, 2025 02:30 pm IST
