Centre used National Education Policy 2020 as weapon to communalise Indian society: Rahul Gandhi in Tamil Nadu

Rahul Gandhi called the new education policy a weapon to communalise and push a particular ideology into Indian society. He, however, acknowledged the ‘positive side’ of the new education policy and said that it is ‘reasonably flexible’. Gandhi further said that the Congress party would push for scholarships in education.

Credit: IANS

Tirunelveli: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday slammed the Centre for introducing the National Education Policy 2020 without consulting teachers and students and said it is being used as a weapon to communalise and push a particular ideology into Indian society.

"An education system is for our students and it is run by our teachers. If we are going to have any policy made for the education system, then, it has to come from a conversation with students and professors. Unfortunately, this was not done," Gandhi said while interacting with college professors at St Xavier’s College in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.

He, however, acknowledged the ‘positive side’ of the new policy and said that it is ‘reasonably flexible’ but called it a weapon to communalise and push a particular ideology into Indian society.

"There is too much power is being centralised in one institution (in the NEP). This is going to damage the education system. The positive side is that it is reasonably flexible on many counts but is a weapon to communalise, to push a particular ideology into Indian society," he said.

Gandhi further said that when the Congress party comes to power in the state, they would push for scholarships in education.

"I don’t believe that education should be only for financially strong people. When we (Congress) come to power, we are going to push for scholarships in education," he said.

While addressing a question about the separation of religion and politics, the Congress leader hit out at the ruling party, saying, "You don’t want to necessarily remove religion from the discourse. You want all religions to be part of it. As long as ideas are competing without hatred and anger, there is no problem. The problem is when you tell someone that you cannot open your mouth because you are from a certain religion."

"The Government of India says that they represent Hinduism but a lot of the ideas they espouse have nothing to do with Hinduism. Nowhere does it say ‘insult, kill people’," he added.

Gandhi’s visit comes ahead of the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2.

The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is contesting the polls in a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). MK Stalin’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has joined hands with the Congress party. Actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan’s party Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) is also in the fray this time.