Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday accused Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government of being “dishonest” and ruining students’ futures by making a complete “U-turn” on implementing the PM Schools for Rising India, or PM SHRI, scheme in the state.

The centrally-sponsored scheme aims to upgrade the infrastructure of schools managed by central, state or regional bodies. However, to avail the scheme’s benefits, state governments must first sign a memorandum of understanding with the Centre to implement the 2020 National Education Policy.

“The Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign the MoU,” Pradhan said in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session. “But now they have changed the stand. Many non-BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party]-ruled states, including Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, have signed the agreement.”

The BJP leader added: “They [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] are dishonest and they are ruining the future of the students of Tamil Nadu. Their only job is to raise language barriers. They are doing politics...They are undemocratic and uncivilised.”

Pradhan’s remarks came amid an ongoing war of words between him and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over the three-language mandate in the National Education Policy.

The three-language mandate refers to teaching students English, Hindi and the native language of a state. It was introduced in the first National Education Policy in 1968 and was retained in the new policy introduced in 2020.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, have long opposed attempts to impose Hindi on the state under the three-language formula.

On Monday, Pradhan was replying to a question about implementing the PM Schools for Rising India scheme. His comments sparked an uproar in the Lok Sabha, with members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam shouting slogans against the Union government.

Speaker Om Birla initially urged the MPs to return to their seats but soon adjourned the session till noon.

‘Pradhan should mind his tongue’: Stalin

Responding to Pradhan’s remarks, Stalin asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoned the comments. He claimed that they were an insult to the residents of Tamil Nadu, The Hindu reported.

“Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, who assumes that he is a king and speaks with arrogance, should mind his tongue,” he said on social media. “You, who have been deceiving [us] by not giving funds to Tamil Nadu, are saying Tamil Nadu MPs are uncivilised?”

Stalin also shared a communique from Pradhan from August that indicated that the Tamil Nadu government had rejected the memorandum of understanding on the PM Schools for Rising India scheme over the three-language mandate in the National Education Policy.

“Isn’t it you who sent a letter saying that the Tamil Nadu government rejected the MoU for PM SHRI over the NEP [National Education Policy] and the three-language policy?” Stalin asked. “We did not come forward to implement your programme. When that is the case, no one can force us to implement it.”

He added: “Just clarify whether you will release the funds due to the students of Tamil Nadu, which you collected from us as tax.”

On February 28, Stalin said it was unnecessary to force the instruction of a third language in schools in the age of artificial intelligence.

“Advanced translation technology already removes language barriers instantly,” he said on social media. “Students should not be burdened with extra languages.”

In response, Pradhan stated that the policy does not impose Hindi and accused the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of opposing it for “political reasons”.

“We have never said in NEP 2020 that only Hindi will be there,” Pradhan said on March 2. “We have only said that education will be based on mother tongue, in Tamil Nadu, it will be Tamil. I do not want to answer to the political ambitions of few people. NEP 2020 is focused on different languages of India, be it Hindi, Tamil, Odia, or Punjabi. All the languages have equal importance. In Tamil Nadu, few are opposing because of politics.”

The Union government has withheld Rs 2,152 crore in funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. Pradhan earlier said that the amount would not be released unless Tamil Nadu implemented the National Education Policy and adopted the three-language formula.

Samagra Shiksha, implemented in 2018, is the scheme through which the Union government provides support for elementary and secondary school education.

Stalin, who has called the move an attack on the Tamil language, recently wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for the funds to be released.

The 2020 National Education Policy proposes major changes to the curricular structure for school education, claims to promote flexibility in choosing academic streams and emphasises on using the mother tongue as a key medium of instruction in primary school, among other measures.

The policy has been criticised by sections of the academic community, for encouraging the privatisation of public institutions. It was also criticised for creating numerous “exit” options for students, which opponents said would encourage dropouts.

The policy was also criticised for not being sufficiently inclusive of marginalised communities.

Kanimozhi demands apology from Pradhan

Condemning Pradhan’s “disgraceful” remarks, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi on Monday demanded an immediate apology.

“His words have deeply hurt and pained the people of Tamil Nadu,” the Thoothukkudi MP said on social media. “What right does he have to insult Tamil Nadu, while happily taking its tax revenue, workforce, and contributions to the nation?”

Kanimozhi added that the BJP government had no problem reaping benefits from Tamil Nadu. “Yet it repeatedly disrespects its people,” she said. “We will not tolerate this!”