Chennai: Amid controversies related to the National Education Policy i.e. NEP, Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin has given a big statement regarding attacking Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. Udhayanidhi on Friday hit back at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying that Tamil Nadu will only follow the 'two-language' policy and it has always been 'opposing the three-language policy'. He said that the state is only demanding its legitimate right from the Center from the tax paid by it.

'Tamil Nadu has always been against the three language policy'

Udhayanidhi said, 'We are demanding our share, about Rs 2150 crore. The Center wants us to accept the NEP and the 'three language' policy. Tamil Nadu has always been opposing the three language policy, so what is the point of doing politics in this? Education is the right of Tamils, please understand who is doing politics.' Earlier in the day, Pradhan targeted Stalin over the ongoing controversy over the implementation of NEP and accused him of 'endangering progressive reforms to maintain political discourse'.

'Should think about the interests of young learners'

In a letter to Stalin, Pradhan said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister should rise above political differences and think about the interests of young learners who will benefit from the new National Education Policy. The Education Minister was responding to a letter written by Stalin to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. In his letter, Stalin had said that linking 2 centrally sponsored initiatives, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and PM Shri School, with the National Education Policy (NEP) is fundamentally unacceptable.

Stalin accuses Center of stopping funding

In his letter to the Tamil Nadu CM, Pradhan said, 'The letter sent to the PM is completely contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism promoted by the Modi government. Therefore, it is wrong for the state to view NEP 2020 short-sightedly and jeopardise progressive educational reforms to maintain its political narrative.’ Tamil Nadu and the central government are at loggerheads over the implementation of NEP in the state. The DMK government has accused the education ministry of stopping funding for crucial schemes.