Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has accused the BJP-led Union government of diverting ₹2,152 crore in education funds meant for the state to Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. He alleged that this move was an act of political coercion after Tamil Nadu rejected the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the three-language formula.
Allegations of Political Retaliation
Addressing the issue on social media platform X, Stalin criticized the Centre’s decision, calling it “open blackmail”. He stated:
“For rejecting the imposition of NEP and the three-language policy, they (BJP government) resorted to open blackmail, snatching away ₹2,152 crore meant for Tamil Nadu’s students and now they have handed it over to other states.”
The ₹2,152 crore in question was originally allocated under the PM Shri scheme for education in Tamil Nadu. Stalin accused the Central government of using funding allocation as a political tool to penalize states that oppose its policies.
DMK Leaders Criticize Financial Allocations
DMK Organisation Secretary RS Bharathi also condemned the Union government’s actions. Speaking at the Anna Arivalayam party headquarters, Bharathi highlighted Tamil Nadu’s financial contributions to the Centre:
- Tamil Nadu has contributed ₹6.28 lakh crore in revenue
- The state received only ₹56,000 crore in return from the Union government
Bharathi also criticized Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, stating that despite hailing from Tamil Nadu, she has “done nothing for the state.” He further alleged that the Centre had failed to provide adequate funds for disaster management and MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme).
Political Fallout and Reactions
The allegations have intensified the political debate between Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK government and the BJP-led Centre. Stalin claimed that the diversion of education funds is part of a broader strategy to undermine the state’s autonomy and policies.
The BJP has yet to respond to these allegations, but the issue is likely to fuel further political confrontations ahead of the upcoming elections.
