Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday accused the BJP-led central government of insulting the southern state and its Dravidian icon Periyar.
Speaking to reporters, he said those who called us “uncivilised” are themselves behaving in an uncivilised manner and people of Tamil Nadu will give them a beffiting reply soon.
“The Union government insults Tamil Nadu and Periyar. Are we uncivilized? Those who call us uncivilized are, in fact, behaving in an uncivilized manner and making remarks against us. Tamil people will give a befitting reply very soon,” he said.
The deputy CM was referring to the controverisal remarks of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. While speaking in Lok Sabha on the New Education Policy earlier this week, Pradhan had called the DMK MPs “uncivilised”.
His remarks triggered a massive political controversy with DMK MPs staging a protest in Parliament and demanding his apology and removal from the Cabinet.
Earlier on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had also hit out at the central government, terming the New Education Policy (NEP) a “saffronized policy” aimed at promoting Hindi rather than developing India.
He alleged that the three-language policy under NEP threatens to destroy Tamil Nadu’s education system.