New Delhi [India], February 7 : Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday slammed Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his remarks on the National Education Policy (NEP), saying he lacks knowledge of India's history and its languages.
Accusing the Congress leader of "disrespecting" the constitutional system, Pradhan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly stated that all Indian languages are national languages.
"The leaders of Congress and Lok Sabha LoP know nothing about the history of the nation, languages and they don't respect the constitutional system. They are opposing the National Education Policy. PM Modi has said many times that all the languages of India are the national languages of India," Pradhan told ANI in an interview.
The minister further stated that the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) were taking steps to introduce education in all 22 scheduled languages.
"UGC, CBSE, and NCERT are taking steps to teach in all the 22 scheduled languages of India. UGC has made it a priority to publish books in the regional languages," Pradhan said.
He also highlighted that the BJP gives the utmost respect to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Highlighting the role of university chancellors before and after independence, Pradhan pointed out that they were Governors. Criticizing Rahul Gandhi, he said that Gandhi's stance is politically motivated and aimed at creating confusion in society.
"The BJP gave utmost respect to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar...In the parliament also, I have said that before and after independence, the chancellors of the universities used to be Governors. UGC is an autonomous body. His (Gandhi's) stand is influenced by politics and they want to create confusion in society...Rahul Gandhi never understood India," Pradhan added.
Earlier in the day, while addressing a protest by the DMK students wing against the Draft UGC regulations, Gandhi alleged that the RSS aims to impose a single idea, history, tradition, and language on the country.