Scrap New Education Policy, CAA, and farm laws: Tamil Nadu CM Stalin to PM Modi

Meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time after assuming office last month, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday submitted a long list of demands exceeding over 100 pages that included the scrapping of the New Education Policy, Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and three farm laws.

Segregating the demands department-wise, Stalin submitted a voluminous memorandum to Modi during their 25-minute long meeting at the latter’s Lok Kalyan Marg residence in the national capital. The Chief Minister also told the Prime Minister that permission should be granted to Karnataka for the construction of a reservoir in Mekedatu across River Cauvery while reiterating the dam for raising the water level of Mullaperiyar Dam in Kerala to 152 feet.

Stressing on the need to vaccinate the maximum population at the earliest, Stalin suggested to Modi that two vaccine manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu can be used to produce the Covid-19 vaccines while seeking an adequate amount of Covid-19 vaccine shots for the state. He also took a jibe at the Union Government for asking states not to make public details about vaccine stock and admitted that Tamil Nadu was getting fewer supplies.

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“We will extend our hand for a (harmonious) relationship with (the Union Government) but will continue to raise our voice for our rights,” Stalin told reporters at the Tamil Nadu House when asked whether his government will adopt “harmonious” or “confrontational” approach towards the Centre.

In the memorandum, Stalin reiterated his government’s stand on various projects to be implemented by the Centre or in the pipeline seeking their immediate scrapping. The Chief Minister, pointing to the region’s status as a Protected Agricultural Zone, demanded that no hydrocarbon exploration activity should be carried out in the fertile Cauvery Delta region and that the neutrino project in the Theni district should not be proceeded with.

Stalin demanded to scrap the New Education Policy 2020 which his party views as just another of imposing Hindi on Tamil Nadu and bringing back the hereditary system of education and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The new chief minister also asked the Prime Minister to revoke the three farm laws passed by the Parliament.

On the release of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Stalin said the Governor has pushed the ball onto the court of the President, and that the state government will take a call once there is a response from the President.

While demanding the dropping of NEET and attempts to extend such medical entrance to other courses, Stalin asked the Centre to expedite construction of AIIMS in Madurai, and establishment of a new AIIMS in Coimbatore.