Language row: Don’t throw stones at beehive, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin tells Dharmendra Pradhan

Says Union Minister replied to State's plea for Rs 2,152 crore funds for education department by asking Tamil Nadu not to do politics in education

Cuddalore: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday lashed out at the Centre warning it not to throw stones at the beehive, and said he will not permit any activities inimical to Tamil language, the state and its people, on the soil, so long as he and his DMK existed.

Seeking to turn the tables on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the National Education Policy (NEP) row, he said Pradhan has replied to the State’s plea for Rs 2,152 crore funds for the education department by asking the state not to do politics in education.

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“Who is doing politics in education — you or us? Is the blackmail that fund release only if the trilingual policy was accepted, not politics? Is imposing Hindi in the name of NEP, not politics? Is converting a multi-lingual and plural country into a single-language country and one nation, not politics? Is not converting the funds meant for a scheme as a ‘condition’ for implementing another scheme, not politics? Stalin asked.

The Central Minister should ponder who was really doing politics, the DMK president said. While the DMK government spent funds for people’s welfare measures, the BJP-led government was spending to fan communal tension and thrusting Hindi, he alleged. He said this after launching 602 projects completed at an estimated cost of Rs 704.89 crore, laying foundation stones for 178 new initiatives at Rs 384.41 crore, and distributing government welfare aids to the tune of Rs 387 crore to 44,690 beneficiaries on the occasion.

On Pradhan’s contention that Tamil Nadu was losing Rs 5,000 crore for not implementing the PM Shri School initiative, Stalin said “Union Minister it doesn’t take us a second to say we will not give you the tax collections from Tamil Nadu.”

Cooperative federalism was all about ‘giving and receiving’ and this was a fundamental feature of the Constitution, the Chief Minister said and added “administering the country without understanding this is a big curse to the nation.” He alleged that NEP has been brought not to foster education but to spread Hindi. The Centre was imposing Hindi through the education policy as it knew that it would meet with staunch opposition if it directly thrust that language.

“We know how to develop our mother tongue. Ask those who lost their mother tongue for accepting Hindi. The threat of your designs will be understood. No one is begging you to develop Tamil,” he fumed.

Stalin further said: “I warn the Centre don’t throw stones at beehive. Don’t aspire to see the unique fighting spirit of the Tamils. As long as I and the DMK exist, no activities against Tamil, Tamil Nadu, and its people will be allowed to set foot in the State.”

He stressed that people’s development and demolishing obstacles were the cornerstones of the Dravidian model of governance. “So, obstacles are not new for us. We are capable of demolishing them and progress… we will continue on the path of victory with people’s support,” Stalin added.