Tamil Nadu govt hypocrite, refusing to implement NEP as political agenda: Sukanta Majumdar

New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday called Tamil Nadu government "hypocrite" and accused it of refusing to implement new National Education Policy 2020 to create a political agenda as elections are approaching in the state.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Majumdar said the claims of any differential treatment with Tamil Nadu are false.

"They (TN government) are doing this only because elections are near in the state. The claims of differential treatment with Tamil Nadu are false. We are advocating for teaching and learning in mother tongue for students till class 5. In Tamil Nadu the mother tongue is Tamil, where is the problem then?" Majumdar told PTI Videos.

They are just trying to create a political agenda by refusing to implement the NEP and three-language formula, he said, targeting the M K Stalin government. "They are hypocrites." The row over implementing the NEP in Tamil Nadu echoed in Parliament on Monday as well.

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for about 30 minutes after DMK members protested over Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks that the state government was "dishonest" on the issue of implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.

Replying to a question on the PM SHRI scheme, Pradhan said the Tamil Nadu government has changed its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme which envisaged strengthening the schools managed by central, state or local bodies.

The state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and in return the central government provides the fund.

The Tamil Nadu government and the Centre have been at loggerheads over implementation of the new National Education Policy and three-language formula proposed in the policy. PTI GJS GJS TIR TIR