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The DMK objected to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s reply during ‘question hour’ on the non-disbursal of funds by the Centre under the ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme
DMK MP Kanimozhi speaks in the Lok Sabha during the second part of the budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on March 10. (Image: Sansad TV via PTI)
The DMK has taken strong objection to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s remarks in the Lok Sabha, in which he accused the Tamil Nadu government of taking a U-turn in an agreement related to the National Education Policy 2020.
The DMK on Monday moved a privilege notice against Pradhan. “I hereby submit this notice under Rule 223 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, seeking initiation of action against the Hon’ble Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, for breach of privilege and contempt of the House,” stated the notice by MP Kanimozhi.
The party objected to Pradhan’s reply during ‘question hour’ on the non-disbursal of funds by the central government under the ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme. Along with accusing the Tamil Nadu government in an NEP-related issue, he also made a reference to Kanimozhi, who is also the sister of Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“Just because I am the CM’s sister, he cannot demean me. The kind of language he used… How can he call us uncivilised?” she told CNN-News18.
In her notice, she further stated: “When I attempted to clarify the misleading statement of the minister, who referred to me in his reply, he made highly malicious, misleading and defamatory remarks and statements that not only misled the House but also constitute a breach of privilege and amounts to the contempt of the House.”
The DMK has alleged that Pradhan misled the House when he claimed that the Tamil Nadu government had initially agreed to sign an agreement with the Centre to accept the PM SHRI scheme but later took a U-turn.
“This is factually incorrect, misleading the house and against official records,” Kanimozhi said, adding that Pradhan was claiming that she had met him with the state education minister on the matter.
The DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP, Tiruchi N Siva also condemned Pradhan’s use of words against his party that were subsequently expunged from records. “What is this language? MK Stalin is an elected chief minister. We are not going with a begging bowl to the Centre,” he said.
While the DMK, supported by the Congress, is likely to harden its stance on the second day of the budget session, the BJP, too, will not be backing off. Both BJP national president JP Nadda and Union minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the DMK for staging a walkout from the Rajya Sabha and a protest in the Lok Sabha.
