Centre searching for new lies to promote NEP, says DMK

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK has accused the BJP-led Union government of spreading new lies to impose the National Education Policy (NEP) on the people.

Taking exception to Union HRD (Human Resource Department) minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s statement that Tamil was not being ignore in the NEP, an editorial penned by DMK mouthpiece ‘Murasoli’ on Thursday said that NEP is being introduced to make all children learn their mother tongue, Hindi as link language and Sanskrit as the cultural language of the nation.

“The term three language policy features seven times in the circular of the Union government. Their intention is to replace English with Hindi and accord the priority of Hindi to sanskrit. The mother tongue gimmick is a conspiracy to abolish English,” the editorial said.

Taking exception to the union minister’s statement that Tamil Nadu should cite proper reasons for opposing NEP, the editorial said that the minister must read the expert committee report on NEP submitted by the Tamil Nadu government in 2019.

“Introduction of NEET has destroyed the medical education dreams of the majority already. Likeise, they are planning to bring a common entrance test for all types of higher education. The oppressed community would be restricted to school education. They will not permit them to enter institutions of higher education. Hence, we are opposing it,” the DMK added.

Alleging that they are citing “mother tongue” to justify the National Education Policy (NEP), the DMK wondered, “Will the introduction of NEP only protect mother tongue? Children are taught in their mother tongue (Tamil) till Class 12 in Tamil Nadu. One can learn in their mother tongue in arts and science and engineering colleges. Research can be done in one’s mother tongue. All competitive exams can be written in mother tongue. Chief Minister Stalin has made Tamil qualifying exam mandatory in TNPSC recruitment in the state. Everything is in the mother tongue here.”

Referring to the two language (Tamil and English) policy in vogue in the state, the DMK said that they (BJP) are trying to impose a three language policy and impose Hindi. “Hence, they are introducing NEP. Wherever possible, they are imposing sanskrit through NEP. That is the cause of our fear,” the editorial said.