New Delhi [India], March 11 : The Trinamool Congress and Congress parties have expressed strong support for the DMK's demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to apologize for his remarks on Tamil Nadu's language policy.
Kalyan Banerjee, a senior TMC leader, stated that Pradhan should face consequences for the comments and called for his removal from the cabinet. Banerjee said he has sought an apology and the removal of Pradhan from the cabinet.
"The language that has been used by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is unexpected. A central minister using such a language for the people of Tamil Nadu has downgraded the people of the state. Either he should seek an apology in the House, or he should be removed as a minister from the cabinet. PM Modi should hear what his ministers are doing...TMC stands in support for DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu," he said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram also weighed in on the matter, emphasizing Tamil Nadu's stance on the issue.
He said, "Tamil Nadu is very clear that a two-language curriculum serves us very well. Tamil preserves our identity and is our mother tongue, English is our link language to the world of commerce and science... we don't need a third compulsory language."
Chidambaram further criticized Pradhan, stating that although the Minister withdrew his comment, an apology was still required. "The Minister should have apologized; he withdrew it but he should have apologized too," Chidambaram added.
Earlier, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi and other DMK MPs held a protest in the Parliament on Tuesday over National Education Policy (NEP), the three-language issue and against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remark in the Parliament on the three-language issue.
"The Union Govt is withholding the money that has to be given to Tamil Nadu, saying that we have to sign the three-language policy and the NEP. They are ruining the future of the children of Tamil Nadu. They have no right to withhold the funds which have to come to the children of Tamil Nadu. Yesterday, he (Dharmendra Pradhan) responded in a very abusive way, saying that we are dishonest and that the people of Tamil Nadu are uncivilised. This is not the language we expect him to be speaking. This is totally undemocratic. We expect an apology," DMK MP Kanimozhi said.
The DMK is opposing the National Education Policy (NEP), especially the three-language formula, which it believes is an attempt to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu.DMK MP Kanimozhi accused the Centre of ruining the future of the children on Tamil Nadu.
On Monday, a war of words broke out between Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the DMK party after Pradhan termed the Tamil Nadu government as "dishonest" and the people of the state as "uncivilised."
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin hit back and accused Pradhan of "arrogance" and of "insulting the people" of Tamil Nadu. Pradhan, in his remarks during Question Hour, alleged that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme in the state but later went back on their promise. The DMK staged a protest, over the union minister's remarks that led to an adjournment of proceedings of the Lower House of Parliament.