CHENNAI: CPI state secretary R Mutharasan on Tuesday criticised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for failing to provide a proper response to questions raised by Tamil Nadu MPs in the Lok Sabha and instead, the minister made derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu and its people, displaying a dismissive attitude.

In a statement, he further accused the Union minister of repeatedly belittling the State and its citizens. He warned that if such behaviour continues, TN will not remain silent. He also strongly opposed the Union government’s National Education Policy (NEP), stating that the State has been against it from the beginning. He accused the Union government and the Ministry of Education of persistently introducing new schemes and pressuring states to accept them.

Mutharasan alleged that as part of it, the legally mandated funds for school education have been withheld, causing severe hardships for both students and teachers.

CPM state secretary P Shanmugam also strongly condemned Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s ‘arrogant’ remarks about Parliament members. He noted that the Union Education Minister had already said that if the State refuses to accept the National Education Policy and the trilingual Policy, then funds due to the State will not be provided. He condemned it saying that it was against right to education.