Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi on Monday submitted a privilege notice against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing him of "breach of Parliamentary privilege." The move comes after Pradhan made controversial remarks about DMK MPs in the Lok Sabha and alleged that the Tamil Nadu government had taken a U-turn on the PM SHRI scheme during a discussion on the National Education Policy.
In her notice, Kanimozhi dismissed Pradhan's claim as "factually incorrect" and accused him of "misleading the House."
"The Hon'ble Minister claimed that the Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the PM SHRI scheme but later reversed its stance. This statement is misleading, inaccurate, and contradicts official records," she stated.
Referring to the remarks made by Pradhan—some of which were later withdrawn—Kanimozhi alleged that he used "intemperate language" and made "baseless accusations" against DMK MPs and their allies.
"The Hon'ble Minister used terms such as 'mislead,' 'dishonest,' 'undemocratic,' and 'uncivilised' to describe me and my parliamentary colleagues from Tamil Nadu. Such comments not only target elected representatives but also reflect on the people of the state," she asserted.
The matter is now expected to be reviewed by the Lok Sabha Speaker for further action.
Pradhan made the comments after DMK MPs raised concerns over the Centre withholding Rs 2,000 crore under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, citing Tamil Nadu’s refusal to sign an MoU for the PM SHRI scheme due to its opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) and the three-language formula.
The Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned after several opposition members condemned the remarks.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin reacted strongly to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks, The CM wrote in a post on 'X' that Pradhan should “control his tongue.” The remarks also triggered protests across Tamil Nadu, with DMK cadres burning Pradhan’s effigies.
Refuting Pradhan’s claim that Tamil Nadu had initially agreed to the MoU, Stalin shared the minister’s August 2024 letter, which acknowledged Tamil Nadu’s rejection of NEP. “Was it not you who said so?” he asked, accusing Pradhan of “cheating” Tamil Nadu by withholding funds. Tagging PM Narendra Modi on X, he demanded, “Do you accept this insult to Tamil Nadu’s people?”
Stalin reiterated Tamil Nadu’s firm stand against NEP and asserted his government would not bow to pressure. “We never agreed to your scheme, and no one can force us,” he said. “Will you release our rightful funds or not?”
Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi also slammed Pradhan’s remarks, calling them a BJP-scripted attack on Tamil Nadu. “NEP is an RSS-driven agenda, not an education policy. Tamil Nadu rejects it outright,” he said, vowing to continue the fight for the State’s rights.