Congress locks horns with ruling BJP on NEP

Bengaluru: After dubbing the ambitious National Education Policy (NEP) project of ruling BJP as 'Nagpur Education Policy', the Karnataka Congress is planning a revolt on social platforms urging people to register their opinions, views and demands for postponement of its implementation for at least one year.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President DK Shivakumar appealed people to come out openly on NEP on Monday. "I appeal to all people in this regard. I will personally go through the views, read them and bring them before the state government," he said.

Shivakumar has started a debate on NEP raising the question whether NEP will be a solution or problem in itself. "The ruling BJP is implementing NEP in haste. They haven't bothered to take our opinions, your (people) opinions, teachers, children's or expert's opinions," he charged.

The KPCC chief said that the BJP through their 'Nagpur Education Policy' is "planning to impose Hindi language on us. Do they want Kannadigas to sit quietly? NEP makes Hindi, English and Kannada, all three languages compulsory. BJP is ensuring backdoor entry of Hindi by this".

"NEP is focusing on online education. Let the government first provide Internet connection, smart phones to all our children in rural areas. This government has not distributed the textbooks to school students. They are gearing up to implement a new system.

"BJP is implementing NEP this year with all urgency. The implementation should be postponed to at least one year to facilitate discussion on the subject," Shivakumar said.

The Congress has also announced that it will press for debate on the issue in the assembly session scheduled to begin on September 13.

Minister for Higher Education C.N. Ashwath Narayan has dubbed the statements of Shivakumar as "irresponsible" remarks. "Those who know about NEP, who studied it and have fair knowledge wouldn't speak against it. The statements are being issued only to carry out political agenda," he said.

"He shouldn't have dubbed NEP as Nagpur Education Policy. His criticism will backfire. He does not have anything to point out shortcomings of NEP.

"By discussing on NEP, Shivakumar has exposed himself. Let him speak after getting information on NEP. I am ready to give him required inputs. The implementation of NEP is part of the nation-building process. Politics should not enter there," he defended.