DMK MP Kanimozhi demands apology for Dharmendra Pradhan's 'abusive' remarks

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi on Tuesday again sharply criticised Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his "abusive" remarks in the Lok Sabha, a day ago and accused the Centre of withholding funds meant for the education of children in Tamil Nadu.

  Kanimozhi, the MP from Lok Sabha constituency Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, said the Union Minister's remarks were undemocratic and demanded an apology.

"The Union government is withholding the money that should be given to Tamil Nadu, demanding that we sign the three-language policy and the NEP. They are ruining the future of the children of Tamil Nadu. They have no right to withhold these funds," Kanimozhi said.

She further condemned Pradhan's response to the issue, calling his language "abusive" and "undemocratic."

Kanimozhi stated that Union Minister Pradhan accused the Tamil Nadu government of dishonesty and referred to the people of the State as "uncivilised."

"This is not the language we expect from a Union Minister. It is undemocratic, and we demand an apology for his remarks," she said.

Union Education Minister Pradhan while speaking in Lok Sabha yesterday, accused the Tamil Nadu government and opposition MPs from Tamil Nadu of being "liars" and "uncivilised."

The remarks were made during a discussion about the Union government's withholding of over Rs 2,000 crore in funds for Tamil Nadu's schools, contingent upon the State signing the National Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language policy.

Pradhan later withdrew his words but the DMK MP condemned the 'undemocratic and unparliamentary' words used for the Tamil Nadu parliamentarians. Kanimozhi said that the State government has been rigid on their stand on the issue right from the beginning and have not changed it.

Kanimozhi clarified that Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, MK Stalin, had already communicated in writing to both the Union Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing that the State government could not agree to the NEP due to disagreements on certain issues. CM Stalin requested that the funds be released without linking them to the acceptance of the NEP and three-language policy.

Kanimozhi also initiated a breach of privilege notice against Union Minister Pradhan.

She, accompanied by other DMK MPs, all dressed in black, held a protest in the Parliament complex today over the National Education Policy (NEP), the three-language issue and against Union Minister Pradhan.

The DMK is opposing the National Education Policy (NEP), especially the three-language formula, which it believes is an attempt to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu.

Yesterday Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin accused Pradhan of "arrogance" and of "insulting the people" of Tamil Nadu. In a strongly worded post in Tamil on his X, Stalin said the Union Minister was speaking like an "arrogant king" and the one who had "disrespected" the people of Tamil Nadu "needs to be disciplined."

Pradhan, in his remarks during Question Hour, alleged that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in the state but later went back on their promise.

The DMK staged a protest, over the union minister's remarks that led to an adjournment of proceedings of the Lower House of Parliament.