'He was speaking like an arrogant king': CM MK Stalin to Dharmendra Pradhan

During the Lok Sabha proceedings, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan alleged that Tamil Nadu initially agreed to sign MoU for the scheme but later changed its stance

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has criticised Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after Pradhan called the Tamil Nadu government “dishonest”, accused it of “ruining” students’ futures by not implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.

 

During the Lok Sabha proceedings, Pradhan alleged that Tamil Nadu initially agreed to sign a MoU for the scheme but later changed its stance. He claimed that the state government was “misleading” the people and “doing injustice” to students. The minister also suggested that a “super CM” influenced the decision.

 

Reacting sharply, MK Stalin, in a post on X, condemned Pradhan and described his words as “arrogance” and said he was speaking like an “arrogant king”. He accused the Union Minister of “disrespecting” Tamil Nadu’s people and questioned whether the Centre would release the funds meant for the state’s students.

 

The chief minister also reaffirmed that Tamil Nadu had never agreed to implement the PM SHRI scheme or the National Education Policy (NEP). He pointed out that the DMK government follows the will of the people, unlike BJP leaders, who act on “words from Nagpur”.

 

Lok Sabha protests and minister’s response

 

DMK MPs strongly protested Pradhan’s remarks in the Lok Sabha, leading to a 30-minute adjournment. DMK MP Kanimozhi accused the Union government of withholding over Rs 2000 crore in funds unless Tamil Nadu signed the NEP and three-language policy. She condemned the Union Minister for calling the Tamil Nadu government and its people “uncivilised”.

 

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran also criticised Pradhan, stating that Tamil Nadu has always opposed the three-language policy. He clarified that the DMK is not against Hindi but insists it should not be made compulsory. Following the uproar, Pradhan withdrew the word that offended DMK MPs, stating that he had no intention to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

 

Tamil Nadu’s stand on NEP and PM SHRI

 

For a long time, MK Stalin has been insisting on his disagreement with the Centre’s proposal to implement the NEP in Tamil Nadu. He claimed that the opposition to NEP is not just about “imposition of Hindi” but also concerns the future of students and social justice.

 

The PM SHRI scheme has a total cost of Rs 27,360 crore over five years, with Rs 18,128 crore coming from the Centre. So far, 12,079 schools across 32 states and Union Territories have been selected under the scheme, but Tamil Nadu remains firm in its refusal to participate.

 

[With inputs from agencies]