New Delhi, Mar 10: Calling the opposition to the three-language formula a political stand, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in the Lok Sabha on Monday that the Central government is open to discussion on the issue despite Tamil Nadu taking a U-turn just before signing a MoU for the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.

He also dispelled fears about alleged attempts to impose any language anywhere, including in Tamil Nadu.

“Tamil will remain the medium of instruction up to eighth standard. In Tamil Nadu or any state, nobody is imposing any language on anyone,” he told reporters after an adjournment forced by protesting DMK MPs

Earlier, responding to a question during Question Hour of the Budget Session, Pradhan accused the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government of going back on its promise of implementing the PM SHRI scheme in the state.

“We had been in talks with the state and at one point the Tamil Nadu government was ready to sign an agreement with the Centre but it later took a U-turn,” he said, while responding to DMK MP T. Sumathy’s claims that the Central government was not releasing funds for schools.

Sumathy alleged that the Central government was denying funds to the state for schoolchildren because of the Tamil Nadu government’s opposition to the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP).

The Minister said there were 20 days remaining in the current financial year and expressed hope that the funds would be released as per the rules.

He said the state Education Minister and MP Sumathy had approached the Centre on the issue and even agreed to sign the MoU but they later took a U-turn.

The Minister gave the example of Congress-ruled states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh which are accepting the NEP despite some reservations, joining hands with the Centre on the PM SHRI.

He said the non-BJP government in Punjab is also cooperating with the Centre, "but our friends in Tamil Nadu are not honest and not showing true commitment."

"They are endangering the future of Tamil students and indulging in politics over the issue with ulterior motives,” he said.

Denying any harassment of the Tamil Nadu government, he said the Central government has issued funds to the state for many schemes including the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana scheme.

He added that the state needs to sign an MoU with the Central government to implement NEP 2020 to set up model schools under the PM SHRI scheme to showcase the new policy.

Pradhan’s stinging criticism of Tamil Nadu led to protests by DMK MPs and an adjournment of proceedings for half an hour.

In a related development, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin took to social media platform X and said, "You think you are a king and speak with arrogance, but you need to learn to respect others. You are not releasing funds to Tamil Nadu and instead, you are humiliating our MPs.”

CM Stalin also questioned Pradhan's decision to reject the PM SHRI MoU sent by the Tamil Nadu government, saying, "You are the one who wrote to me saying that the MoU was rejected. We value the opinions of our people, unlike you who are bound by the words of Nagpur."

CM Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu will not implement the Union government's education plans and challenged Pradhan to answer whether he can release the funds due to Tamil Nadu students.

--IANS

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