Kanimozhi, Annamalai engage in war of words on social media over NEP

DMK MP Kanimozhi (left) and BJP leader Annamalai (right)
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

DMK deputy general secretary and Parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi, and BJP State president K. Annamalai on Tuesday (March 4, 2025) engaged in a war of words on social media over issues surrounding the non-implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu.

In a post on X, Ms. Kanimozhi said “The world knows how BJP manipulates data. Dr. Parakala Prabhakar exposed it in The Crooked Timber of New India: Essays on a Republic in Crisis. [The] BJP thrives on selectively quoting statistics, twisting numbers to fit its propaganda. Your ASER data? We know how it is cooked up, which is why we are conducting our own survey on the real impact of education policies.”

She also pointed out that the Economic Survey 2025 had praised Tamil Nadu for revolutionising education through schemes like Illam Thedi Kalvi, Ennum Ezhuthum, and the breakfast scheme for school children. “Unlike BJP-ruled States struggling with literacy, we invest in our students’ future,” she said.

“You [Mr. Annamalai] claim to care about Tamil Nadu’s students – then why has your government withheld ₹2,152 crore in Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds rightfully owed to Tamil Nadu? If you truly care, tell your Union government to release these funds instead of preaching to us. You talk about fairness, yet Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) have removed German and other foreign languages while continuing to impose Hindi and Sanskrit, depriving students of global exposure while pushing BJP’s divisive ideological agenda. If you are truly advocating for a three-language policy, give us the data about how many KV schools teach Tamil? Do you even know that many KVs in Tamil Nadu don’t have Tamil teachers?” Ms. Kanimozhi said.

Tamil Nadu will never accept BJP’s agenda of “misinformation, financial strangulation, and Hindi imposition,” she added.

In his response, Mr. Annamalai said “The pseudo truth environment that the DMK wishes to construct will be dismantled even if the Government of Tamil Nadu commissions a survey to understand the quality of education imparted. We are confident that the results would point out the deteriorating education standards in Tamil Nadu today under your brother’s [Chief Minister M.K. Stalin] regime. “

Mr. Annamalai also said Ennum Ezhuthum, Illam Thedi Kalvi and breakfast schemes were proposed in the NEP. “As a Member of Parliament, you should have known that many of the NEP recommendations were rolled out for implementation in other States even before they were introduced in Tamil Nadu (‘without the effort of having to invent a new name for pasting stickers’). For DMK, politics takes precedence over the future of our children.”

He questioned whether the Tamil Nadu BJP compelled the ruling DMK government in the State to send a letter to the Centre committing that the PM SHRI schools scheme would be implemented starting this academic year.

“Why is the opportunity to learn a third language denied to our government school students, when it is provided to students studying in private CBSE and matriculation schools, including private schools that your family and your Ministers run?,” he asked.