Tamil Nadu Sues Centre, Claims Funds Blocked Over 3-Language Formula Dispute
The DMK government has claimed the reason for the Centre blocking the funds is the state government's resistance to the three-language formula.
New Delhi:
In another flashpoint of the language battle between the Centre and Tamil Nadu, the MK Stalin government has moved the Supreme Court, alleging that the Narendra Modi regime is holding back funds to the tune of Rs 2,151 crore as the southern state failed to adopt the National Education Policy.
The DMK government has been against the National Education Policy, which suggests a three-language formula under which children study a third language in addition to English and a state language. The Tamil Nadu government has accused the three-language formula of trying to promote Hindi in southern states and has argued for a two-language policy. The Centre has refuted the allegations and stated that the three-language formula is meant to promote Indian languages.
Tamil Nadu has now asserted in its petition to the Supreme Court that the Centre has not provided its share of Rs 2,151 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, an integrated school education scheme from pre-school to Class XII. The scheme gives assistance in the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and is in consonance with suggestions of the National Education Policy, as per the Ministry of Education.
The Centre’s project sanction board met on February 16 last year and was content with Tamil Nadu’s adherence to the requirements of the scheme, the state government has asserted. The board subsequently released money worth Rs 3585.99 crore for spending under the scheme. According to the 60:40 ratio, the Centre’s contribution was Rs 2,151 crore and was due to the state government from April 1 last year.
The Centre, the Tamil Nadu government stated, has not released any instalment of this fund.
“The glaring reason for such non-disbursement is that the Defendant has made the release of Samagra Shiksha Scheme funds conditional upon the implementation of ‘National Education Policy’ and ‘NEP exemplary PM SHRI Schools’ Scheme in spite of the fact that these policy/scheme which are independent schemes,” the state government stated.
The DMK government has termed the reason for the Centre freezing the funds as the state government’s resistance to the three-language formula. It has stated the delayed disbursement of funds is an attempt to pressure the state government into enforcing the National Education Policy.
“The Defendant by denying the Plaintiff’s right to receive amounts under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme is an negation of the doctrine of co-operative federalism, encroachment on the Constitutional prerogative of the Plaintiff State to enact legislation in terms of Entry 25, List III and an endeavour to compel and coerce the Plaintiff State to adopt the NEP-2020 in the entire State and to divert from the education regime pursued in the Plaintiff State,” the state government has stated in its suit.
The new court action follows the Tamil Nadu government’s major Supreme Court victory in its showdown with Governor RN Ravi last month. The top court had then declared the Governor‘s refusal to give assent to 10 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly as “illegal” and “arbitrary”.
