TN Congress announces protest against BJP-led Centre over SSA dues

CHENNAI: The state Congress unit on Tuesday condemned the BJP-led Centre for withholding the first instalment of Rs 573 crore under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme to Tamil Nadu for not accepting the provisions of National Education Policy (NEP).

Announcing a massive protest condemning the Government of India and demanding immediate release of the SSA fund to Tamil Nadu, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai said that the withholding of SSA funds allocated to states in the Union Budget was 'unconstitutional' and attempt to destroy the education system of Tamil Nadu, which is a pioneer in the country.

Claiming that the withholding of the SSA funds to Tamil Nadu has caused enormous financial strain to the School Education Department, which manages the education of eight lakh students, Selvaperunthagai said that the Centre’s withholding of funds has created a situation where salaries of nearly 15,000 teachers could not be disbursed for the coming month and fees to be paid for 25 per cent students admitted in private schools under Right to Education Act category could not be paid.

Condemning the BJP led NDA government for being vengeful against Tamil Nadu for refusing to subscribe to the NEP, the TNCC chief said that the Centre did not consult the states before preparing the NEP despite education being in the concurrent list. Remarking that the NEP undermines state rights and plurality of the nation, Selvaperunthagai said that the Tamil Nadu government was opposing the NEP because it was prepared with the participation of the RSS, which refuses to accept the policy of unity in diversity.

Calling the NEP an attempt by the BJP to saffronise education and impose one nation, one culture on the diverse country, the TNCC chief said that the Union government, through the NEP, was trying to impose the three language policy by undermining the two-language policy followed by the state since 1968.