DMK MPs, led by Kanimozhi, staged a protest in Parliament against the National Education Policy and the three-language formula, accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi on Tamil Nadu. Additionally, they demanded an apology from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his alleged derogatory comments towards the people of Tamil Nadu. The DMK argues that linking central funds with the adoption of the NEP and three-language policy puts the future of Tamil Nadu's students at risk.
The Tamil Nadu political scene has been ablaze with the ongoing dispute between the ruling DMK and Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the 3 language policy in the National Education Policy (NEP). The DMK has accused the centre of withholding funds from the state as a punishment for not accepting the policy, while M K Stalin has reprimanded Pradhan for his comment calling DMK MPs "uncivilised". Amidst the heated debate, renowned music maestro Ilaiyaraaja has returned to the state after successfully performing his western classical symphony "Valiant" in London, marking a significant achievement for Indian music on a global platform.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin took a strong stance against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for insulting Tamil Nadu MPs and the people of the state during a parliamentary session. Stalin questioned Pradhan’s audacity to call Tamil Nadu MPs ‘uncivilised’ and shared a copy of Pradhan’s letter acknowledging Tamil Nadu’s rejection of the National Education Policy and the trilingual policy. The ongoing conflict between Tamil Nadu and the BJP-led Centre over the implementation of the NEP and the trilingual policy has sparked sharp criticism from Stalin, emphasizing the state’s determination to act in favor of its people rather than obeying the diktats of Nagpur.
A recent analysis by think tank PRS Legislative Research has found that the average age of MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha is 56 years, a slight decrease from the previous term. The ruling BJP holds the majority with 240 seats, followed by Congress and Samajwadi Party. It is also noted that 11% of the MPs are aged 40 or below, while 52% are above 55. The youngest and oldest candidates to win were from Samajwadi Party and DMK respectively. Check out the full constituency results for the ongoing Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
On February 11, 2024, DMK volunteers led by party's organising secretary R.S. Bharathi staged a protest in Rameswaram against the arrest of Rameswaram fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy and condemned the Centre for not taking any action. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of addressing the issue, offered assistance of ₹34,000 crore to Sri Lanka, said Bharathi at a demonstration meeting. Despite Chief Minister M.K. Stalin directing DMK MPs to raise the issue in Parliament, the topic was "disallowed" and instead the session focused on discussing the Ram Temple.
The ruling DMK party in Tamil Nadu distributed 'halwa' in traditional DMK colors with the label 'Zero' to protest against the central government's alleged discrimination towards the state. This campaign, led by DMK leader R S Bharathi, aims to highlight the lack of funds allocated by the central government for Tamil Nadu's development, including the recent floods. DMK's MPs and allies also staged a protest in Delhi against the injustice towards the state. In the midst of this, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan shared her thoughts on relationships and boundaries on her granddaughter's podcast.
DMK MP T R Baalu sparked a heated debate in the Lok Sabha when he made a remark against Union Minister L Murugan, causing outrage from the BJP who accused Baalu of insulting a Dalit. The DMK retaliated by calling Murugan a "traitor" who goes against the interests of Tamil Nadu. The exchange of words between the two sides led to a heated question hour and a walkout by DMK, Congress and Left MPs.