This is not 1960s to keep playing language politics, Murugan on CM Stalin's ‘blackmail’ comment

MADURAI: Union Minister L Murugan on Monday accused Chief Minister MK Stalin of diverting the people on the National Education Policy (NEP) and remarked that people were not living in the sixties for the DMK to play politics in the name of language.

Flaying the Chief Minister for his comment that Tamils will not tolerate the brash blackmail that there would be no funds for the state until the three language policy was accepted, Murugan said the people of the state want to learn and progress.

The Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting said Tamil Nadu initially agreed to implement the Centrally sponsored PM SHRI initiative, to develop schools run by central, State, union territories and local bodies to build an equitable, inclusive and plural society as envisaged by the NEP. But they backtracked after signing to implement PM Shri.

Conditions always apply for sanctioning funds under any scheme. Regarding PM SHRI, the Centre sought TN’s support to the NEP and, in return, assured to extend full cooperation to the State, Murugan claimed.

“Nowhere was it said that funds would be denied to the State. But an attempt is being made to divert the issue. We are not living in 1965. People, especially those in Tamil Nadu, are progressive and want development. The present situation does not necessitate them (DMK) to play language politics as they did in 1965,” the central minister said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been doing a lot for the Tamil language more than the DMK, particularly in taking it to a global level. The PM has more affinity to Tamil than the DMK, he said. Murugan asked, “What’s the problem in implementing the NEP, which aims to groom our youth to be equipped for global competition?”