Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Member of Parliament (MP) Kanimozhi Karunanidhi initiated a breach of privilege notice on Monday, March 10, against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Dharmendra Pradhan had, in the Lok Sabha, used the words “uncivilised” and “undemocratic” while speaking about the standoff with the Tamil Nadu government regarding the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP). When DMK MP Kanimozhi raised objections to his comments, the minister withdrew his words but went on to allege that Kanimozhi along with Tamil Nadu Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had agreed to the PM-SHRI scheme and had later changed their stand.
It may be noted that the PM-SHRI scheme, launched in 2022, aims to select schools from each state or union territory where using union government funds, NEP will be implemented to strengthen the education system. Tamil Nadu has been protesting the union government’s stand that money under the PM Shri will not be released till the state adopts the NEP in totality. Tamil Nadu has been opposing the three language policy of the NEP, maintaining that this was a tactic to impose Hindi, though NEP does not directly make Hindi mandatory.
Referring to the Minister’s comments on the PM-SHRI scheme, Kanimozhi in her notice wrote, “This statement of the Hon'ble Minister is utterly baseless, and knowing it to be false has made it to mislead the house and people and tarnish the image of Tamil Nadu.”
She further added that the Minister’s statements malign the dignity and integrity of all the MPs from the DMK and their allied parties. “The Minister’s words and conduct attacked my integrity and dignity, especially as a woman MP. His indecent remarks constitute an outrage to modesty and harassment, which violate the principles of treating colleagues with dignity, equal treatment and respectful conduct within the House,” Kanimozhi wrote and sought appropriate action against Dharmendra Pradhan for breach of privilege and contempt of the House.