NEW DELHI: The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest outside Delhi's Shastri Bhawan on Wednesday, condemning Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks, in which he accused the Tamil Nadu government of creating a "fear psychosis" about the three-language formula proposed in NEP 2020.
On Tuesday, Pradhan had criticised the Tamil Nadu government over its stand on the new National Education Policy (NEP), accusing it of creating a "fear psychosis" about the three-language formula while doing little to promote Tamil in the state.
The protest was led by NSUI Delhi president Ashish Lamba, who accused the BJP government of disrespecting regional identities and linguistic diversity, according to an official statement from NSUI.
According to the statement, heavy police deployment and barricades were set up to prevent the NSUI activists from marching further. The activists continued their protest, criticising what they termed the BJP’s interference in education.
"Pradhan's remarks are an attack on Tamil Nadu and India’s federal structure. The BJP is imposing its ideology on states, disregarding their autonomy. NSUI will not tolerate this insult to Tamil Nadu or any other state. Education should empower, not serve as political propaganda,” stated an NSUI office bearer.
The BJP's National Education Policy is a tool for "authoritarianism," and NSUI stands with the people of Tamil Nadu against this imposition, he further added.
NSUI has pledged to continue its campaign against the BJP’s attempts to control education and suppress regional voices, the statement concluded.
Last month, Union Education Minister Pradhan stated that funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme would not be released to Tamil Nadu unless the state fully implemented NEP 2020. He accused the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government of politicising the policy.