Stalin's 'beehive' warning to Centre after Pradhan's letter over NEP
What's the story
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has escalated the ongoing row with the central government over the National Education Policy (NEP) and its controversial trilingual language policy. The state stands by its two-language policy of Tamil and English and opposes the inclusion of Hindi. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged Stalin to keep the interests of young learners above political differences.
Accusations
Stalin accuses Centre of politicizing education
Stalin also accused the Centre of politicizing education by linking state funds to the acceptance of the NEP. He warned the Centre against "throwing stones at a beehive," adding that no activities against Tamil Nadu or its people would be tolerated. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin also echoed this sentiment, saying Tamil Nadu would resist any attempts to impose Hindi and launch a "Get out Modi" campaign if necessary.
Fund allegations
DMK-led government accuses Centre of withholding funds
The DMK-led government has accused the Centre of holding back ₹2,152 crore in funds as leverage to enforce NEP compliance. Udhayanidhi also criticized the allocation of union budget funds, alleging Tamil Nadu was neglected in favor of states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. He also warned states accepting Hindi risk losing their mother tongues, citing Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, and Haryanvi as examples.
Counter campaign
BJP's Tamil Nadu unit launches 'GetOutStalin' campaign
The BJP's Tamil Nadu unit had launched an online campaign titled "GetOutStalin" over alleged failures by the DMK administration. Meanwhile, DMK leaders and workers have also protested against the Centre's policies, demanding the release of funds owed to Tamil Nadu. The three-language policy under NEP 2020 mandates schools to use three languages, two of which must be Indian languages (excluding English).