Tamilisai Soundararajan. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Former Telangana Governor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday (May 18, 2025) alleged a misleading narrative is being propagated in Tamil Nadu regarding the New National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

Addressing the media in Chennai, Dr. Tamilisai criticised the release of the book ‘National Education Policy, 2020 – A Rogue Elephant’, authored by School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and unveiled by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday (May 17, 2025.)

“A wrong perception is being spread about the NEP, 2020. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) only claims to develop Tamil language. However only eight students, out of nearly eight lakh who appeared for Class X examinations, had secured a centum in Tamil language. They [DMK leaders] were talking about the vacancies of Tamil teachers in Kendriya Vidyalaya schools. However, as the post of a Tamil teacher remained vacant in a government school at Madurai, students failed to clear that subject,” she said.

“The DMK leaders have been talking about bringing back ‘Education’ from the Concurrent List to the State List. But, what steps did the DMK take when it was part of the ruling coalition at the Centre for nearly 18 years?” she questioned.

Responding to a question about Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) deputy general secretary C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar’s recent statement that his party would not form an alliance with the BJP, Dr. Tamilisai said, “Vijay is the president of the TVK and he has not made any official announcement to that effect.” Further she said there is a pressing need for parties opposed to the DMK to come together.