Tiruvallur MP Sasikanth Senthil is sitting on a hunger strike against the Union government’s denial of educational funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme to Tamil Nadu. The Congress MP announced the indefinite hunger strike, announced on Friday, August 29, after the Union government refused Rs 2,151.59 crore in education funds owed to the state, linking the disbursal of funds to the adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Tamil Nadu has refused to adopt the NEP 2020 due to several concerns, including adoption of the three-language formula, which is seen as an attempt to introduce Hindi. The MP has announced that the strike will continue till the release of the SSA funds. Amid these background, TNM's Nithesh Kumar speaks to Sasikanth Senthil MP on the significance of the issue and the deeper implications that halt of funds done in the system.