CM Stalin vows TN will reject NEP, cites BJP’s hostility towards Tamils

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said on Tuesday (March 11) that the state will firmly reject the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, regardless of any financial incentives from the Centre amounting to Rs 10,000 crore.

Addressing an official event in Chengalpattu, Stalin reiterated Tamil Nadu’s strong opposition to the NEP, accusing the BJP-led Union government of exhibiting significant hostility towards the Tamil community, as demonstrated by recent comments made by its leaders.

Also read: NEP row: TN CM Stalin rebukes 'ruler' Dharmendra Pradhan over his LS speech

‘Fight for rights to continue’

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Stalin remarked, “I officially declared at the Chengalpattu government event that Tamil Nadu, which guides India, will categorically reject the NEP2020 they propose. Tamil Nadu will continue to raise the battle cry for our rights.”

He intensified his critique by referencing controversial past remarks from BJP leaders, including Union minister Shobha Karandlaje’s assertion in 2024 that “Tamils are terrorists who use explosives!” and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s 2025 statement in the Lok Sabha that “Tamils lack civilisation!” Although both leaders later expressed regret for their comments, Stalin contended that these statements reflect the BJP’s inherent animosity towards Tamils.

Firm on two-language policy

Stalin asserted that even if the Centre were to allocate Rs 10,000 crore, Tamil Nadu would not accept the NEP.

The chief minister reaffirmed the state's steadfast dedication to its two-language policy, which prioritises Tamil and English, and its opposition to the NEP's three-language framework, which is perceived as an imposition of Hindi. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of employing financial pressure, such as the withholding Samagra Shiksha funds, to compel Tamil Nadu into compliance with the policy, characterising this tactic as “fiscal blackmail” and an affront to the state's cultural and linguistic identity.

Escalating Centre-TN tension

Stalin’s comments came amid heightened tensions following Pradhan's controversial remarks on March 10, in the Lok Sabha, and a subsequent press conference where he described DMK members as “dishonest and uncivilised” while denying any imposition of Hindi.

He further clarified that Tamil would be the exclusive medium of instruction in PM SHRI schools located in Tamil Nadu. These statements incited protests from DMK MPs, a privilege motion initiated by Kanimozhi, and strong rebuttals from School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh and other Tamil Nadu leaders, who accused the Centre of undermining the state's cultural heritage.

Also read: Stalin takes fresh dig at BJP; says ‘demanding linguistic equality isn’t chauvinism’

Threat to Dravidian identity

Stalin's statement also alludes to his previous denunciation of the NEP as the “Nagpur model”, referencing the RSS, and framing it as a threat to Tamil Nadu's Dravidian identity and autonomy. He urged the state to “raise the battle cry for our rights”, invoking the historical anti-Hindi movements of the 1960s and positioning Tamil Nadu as a frontrunner in resisting central overreach.

This declaration has exacerbated the political impasse, eliciting responses from BJP leaders such as Tamil Nadu unit chief K Annamalai, who accused Stalin of opportunism and dynastic politics, and AIADMK’s D Jayakumar, who flayed the DMK’s perceived inconsistency regarding the PM SHRI scheme. Concurrently, DMK MP Kanimozhi’s privilege motion against Pradhan and the state’s rejection of NEP-aligned funding underscore the widening rift over educational policy, federalism, and identity.