MK Stalin takes ‘ ₹10000 crore’ vow in tirade against NEP, Centre: ‘Can’t push Tamil Nadu backward by 2000 years'

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said on Saturday that he would not implement the National Education Policy even if the BJP-led Centre offered ₹10,000 crore as funds to the state. He claimed the NEP is "regressive" and is aimed at foisting Hindi on Tamil Nadu.

"Permitting students to discontinue studies is akin to asking them not to study," Stalin said, addressing an event organised by the Parents-Teachers Association.

MK Stalin said NEP will drive students away from schools.

"We are not opposed to any language but will remain firm in opposing its imposition. We are not opposing the NEP only for the attempt to thrust Hindi but for several other reasons as well. The NEP is regressive. It will drive students away from schools," Stalin was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

MK Stalin said the NEP aims to deny financial aid to SC/ST and BC students. He said the Centre has offered Tamil Nadu ₹2000 crore to implement NEP.

"The Centre says Tamil Nadu will get ₹2,000 crore if the state implements the NEP. I wish to say that we will not agree to the NEP even if the Centre offers ₹10,000 crore. I will not allow the NEP and commit the sin of pushing Tamil Nadu backward by 2,000 years," Stalin said.

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DMK slams NEP

Meanwhile, DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan accused the Central government of using the policy to “impose religious ideas on the education system.”

"As per the Constitution, we (state) can legislate on education as it is in the Concurrent List. Secondly, the Department of Education should explain what is new in this Education Policy," he told ANI.

"First, the policy should be implemented in BJP-ruled states and improve their standards. The purpose of this policy is to impose religious ideas on the education system, which we will never allow and we will never allow Hindi," he added.

On Friday, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan strongly criticised Stalin's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of raising "imaginary concerns". He said the 2020 policy wasn't aimed at imposing any language on states.

"One point I want to re-emphasise is that the NEP is not recommending the imposition of any language on the respective students of a state. That means, in no way the NEP is recommending imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu," Dharmendra Pradhan said.

With inputs from agencies