Do not politicise, release rightful funds for TN, says Minister Anbil Mahesh

CHENNAI: In a war of words between the policymakers at the state and union governments, the Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Sunday responding to the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "For the betterment of children, it is better to not politicise the issue, but to release the rightful funds of Rs 2,150 crore allocated for TN."

Meanwhile, Minister Poyyamozhi with higher officials of the school education department met Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin at his office with relevant documents regarding the withholding of funds under the Integrated School Education scheme and discussed the next step if the state should move legally.

Taking to his social media page, Minister Poyyamozhi wrote, "Besides manoeuvring in a way that affects the education of children, the minister has also spoken in a dictatorial attitude. Not only has the funds that should be given to TN been shared with other states, but the union government is also making efforts to impose the three-language policy."

Subsequently, speaking to the media, the minister said, "I would like to highlight that while meeting the union minister, he appreciated the results of the State in the education sector, but simultaneously urged to implement the PM SHRI scheme to get funds under the Samagra Shikha (SS) scheme. Without politicising the issue, the Centre should release the due funds."

Meanwhile, in a scathing rebuke, Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday lambasted Pradhan for his remarks on the National Education Policy (NEP), asserting that the state will not accept the three-language policy.

In a social media post, Udhayanidhi emphasised that language and ethnic consciousness are deeply ingrained in Tamil culture, and any endeavour to impose Hindi would be met with fierce resistance.

"Scolding Tamil Nadu is akin to touching fire," Udhayanidhi warned, cautioning Pradhan to familiarise himself with the state's history since independence.

He asserted that Tamil Nadu's rich cultural legacy and linguistic pride would not be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.

Stalin Junior also took umbrage with Pradhan's implied threat to withhold financial assistance if Tamil Nadu refused to comply with the three-language policy.

He questioned whether the Union government was attempting to strong-arm the state into accepting Hindi, and demanded that Pradhan clarify his stance on the issue.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Electricity, V Senthilbalaji launched a blistering attack on Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, questioning his conspicuous absence from the debate.

Senthilbalaji demanded to know why Palaniswami, who claims to be the general secretary of the party named after Perarignar Anna, was hiding behind a veil of silence.

"Where is Palaniswami, who is hiding in his house, twisting even personal issues into state law and order issues and only making noise against the DMK? Shouldn't he leave aside petty issues and raise his voice for the state issue?" he asked.

Senthilbalaji further taunted Palaniswami, asking if he dared to respond directly to the issue without resorting to "dubbed voices."

He warned that Palaniswami's silence would be perceived as a betrayal of the state's interests, and advised him to drop the name of Perarignar Anna if he could not muster the courage to condemn the BJP government's actions.