Did Vijay’s Entry Make DMK, ‘Super CM’ Udhayanidhi Stalin Harden Stance on NEP & PM-SHRI?

Last Updated:March 12, 2025, 08:56 IST

Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan called DMK’s ‘bluff’ by making public Tamil Nadu’s year-old letter saying the state was ready to join PM-SHRI

Top BJP sources claimed that threatened by Vijay’s rise in Tamil Nadu ahead of next year’s assembly polls, it was MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin (in pic) who was responsible for the NEP and PM-SHRI U-turn. (PTI)

Did DMK harden its stance on PM-SHRI schools and New Education Policy (NEP) under threat from Vijay’s rise in Tamil Nadu with his pro-Tamil stance? Top BJP functionaries believe so, claiming that Udhayanidhi Stalin is now calling the shots in the southern party ahead of Tamil Nadu elections in a year’s time.

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday made public a letter by Tamil Nadu’s Chief Secretary to the Centre last year on March 15 that said “the state is very keen to sign the MoU for establishing PM-SHRI schools in the state" and added that the same will be signed before start of the new academic year 2024-25. “Why this sudden change in stance on NEP? Definitely for political brownies and reviving DMK’s political fortunes," the minister said.

Government sources said PM-SHRI schools are mandated to follow NEP 2020. “So, by first saying yes to PM-SHRI last year, Tamil Nadu was essentially saying yes to NEP," sources added.

In a letter last year on July 6 to the Centre, the DMK government omitted a paragraph sent in a draft MoU by the Centre that had mentioned NEP implementation in Tamil Nadu. While the Centre cites this as a U-turn, DMK leader Kanimozhi cites this to say Tamil Nadu never agreed to the NEP.

Speaking in Parliament a day earlier, Pradhan said “some super chief minister" had forced the change in stance of the Tamil Nadu government. Top BJP sources claimed it was MK Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin who was responsible for the U-turn. “With Vijay’s rise in Tamil Nadu politics and his focus on Tamil, DMK — and especially Udhayanidhi — see a direct threat ahead of next year’s assembly polls. Hence, the complete withdrawal by DMK on the NEP and PM-SHRI schools issue," a senior BJP leader said.

DMK has made ‘Hindi imposition’ a major issue during the Parliament session this time as they want to invoke ‘emotive sentiments’ of Tamil people against the Centre, BJP sources said. Pradhan on Tuesday apologised for his language against DMK MPs a day earlier in Lok Sabha, which was also expunged from Parliament records. However, the BJP has decided to counter the DMK on facts, citing how the usage of Tamil has been decreasing in the state under the DMK’s rule.

BJP’s Puducherry MP, S Selvaganabathy, slammed the DMK while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, saying it was the party’s fault that 30 lakh students had completed school education over the years without learning the alphabet in Tamil.

Tamil Usage Declining in Tamil Nadu

Pradhan, while speaking in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, said Tamil-medium enrolment in Tamil Nadu had dropped from 54 per cent in 2018-19 to just 36 per cent in 2023-24. Pradhan said 67 per cent students in Tamil Nadu are now in English-medium schools. He also cited that in government schools in Tamil Nadu, English-medium enrolment had jumped five times from 3.4 lakh to 17.7 lakh in just five years. Pradhan said Tamil enrolment fell by 7.3 lakh in government-aided schools in TN.

“As per UDISE+ data, enrolments in Tamil medium dropped from 65.87 lakh in 2018-19 to 46.83 lakh in 2023-24, a reduction of over 19 lakh students in a period of five years. NEP says mother language should be the primary language. But in Tamil Nadu, in government schools, Tamil language is declining while colonial language is increasing," Pradhan said. He cited how Hindi was now taught in 774 CBSE schools in Tamil Nadu out of a total of 1,460 schools. “This is a reality," Pradhan said.

Pradhan reiterated that NEP does not impose Hindi and the Narendra Modi government will never hurt the feelings of anyone on the basis of language. “You can call me a fool but you cannot make a fool of Tamil Nadu’s people. You can abuse me, but do not deny opportunity to youngsters of Tamil Nadu," Pradhan said in the Rajya Sabha. “DMK’s latest cacophony on language imposition and its stance on NEP’s three-language formula exposes their hypocrisy. Opposition to NEP 2020 has nothing to do with preservation of Tamil pride, language and culture but everything to do with gaining political dividends," the minister added.

Jayalalitha Reference

As part of BJP’s political strategy to keep a line open to its old ally AIADMK ahead of the state’s upcoming polls, Pradhan also invoked the late J Jayalalithaa and said DMK has done little to promote and preserve Tamil language, literature and literary icons. “Tamil language is no one’s monopoly. What they (DMK) have done to J Jayalalithaa on the floor of the assembly… No one has the right to outrage modesty of senior leaders like Jayalalithaa. We don’t need anybody’s certificate on whether we are committed to Tamil language or not. We are totally committed to Tamil," Pradhan said.

The AIADMK was also not very harsh on the BJP during the debate in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Dr M Thambidurai of AIADMK, in fact, slammed the DMK in Rajya Sabha and said the party will lose in the Tamil Nadu elections in 2026. “Tamil Nadu follows two-language formula. AIADMK also supports it. Congress was responsible for the three-language formula, it is Congress which imposed Hindi. Why is DMK continuing with Congress then? They are putting on black shirts and doing drama…you will lose in 2026," Thambidurai said.

News politics Did Vijay’s Entry Make DMK, ‘Super CM’ Udhayanidhi Stalin Harden Stance on NEP & PM-SHRI?