The three-language policy, a part of the National Education Policy, remains to be a point of contention with the DMK giving an adjournment motion notice to discuss the issue in the Parliament. Ahead of the session, DMK MPs staged a protest outside the Parliament.
On Monday, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi filed a notice for a breach of parliamentary privilege against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, pertaining to remarks made by Pradhan in Parliament regarding Tamil Nadu’s education system. The controversy erupted when Pradhan reportedly referred to Tamil Nadu MPs as “uncivilised” during a parliamentary discussion.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Tuesday condemned Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks, calling it “very unparliamentary” and unfortunate.
“It is very unfortunate. The language of the Union Education Minister was very unparliamentary. It is good to see that the Speaker prevailed upon the Minister, and he withdrew the statement. The way BJP and RSS degrade the language of Parliament shows the arrogance of BJP,” he said.
The Trinamool Congress and Congress parties have expressed strong support for the DMK’s demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to apologize for his remarks on Tamil Nadu’s language policy.
Kalyan Banerjee, a senior Trinamool leader, said the language used by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is “unexpected”. “A central minister using such a language for the people of Tamil Nadu has downgraded the people of the state. Either he should seek an apology in the House, or he should be removed as a minister from the cabinet. PM Modi should hear what his ministers are doing…TMC stands in support for DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also weighed in on the matter, emphasising Tamil Nadu’s stance on the issue. “Tamil Nadu is very clear that a two-language curriculum serves us very well. Tamil preserves our identity and is our mother tongue, English is our link language to the world of commerce and science… we don’t need a third compulsory language,” he said.