Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday strongly criticised senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for her scathing newspaper article on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Gandhi, who serves as the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, had penned an article titled "The '3Cs' that haunt Indian education today" in The Hindu, where she accused the central government of being indifferent to the educational needs of India's children and youth.
In her article, Gandhi alleged that while the NEP 2020 was introduced with much fanfare, the reality was that the Union government had pursued a policy that prioritised centralisation of power, commercialisation of education, and communalisation of academic content.
She asserted that these measures had a detrimental effect on students and called for an end to what she described as "the carnage of India's public education system."
Reacting sharply to Gandhi’s remarks, CM Mohan Yadav defended the implementation of NEP 2020 in Madhya Pradesh under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“I strongly condemn the article written by Sonia Gandhi. I believe she has not even properly studied the new education policy,” Yadav said while speaking to reporters in Maheshwar, Khargone district.
Yadav emphasised the need to take pride in India’s historical and cultural heritage. “We should be proud of our past. If someone makes exaggerated and divisive statements, it is they who are being communal. When we compare historical figures like Shivaji Maharaj with Akbar or Aurangzeb, our cultural and historical roots should remain firmly connected to Shivaji. Our education system should instill a sense of national pride and commitment towards our people,” he stated.
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He further pointed out that India has always respected figures such as Rahim and Raskhan for their deep devotion to Lord Krishna. However, he argued that certain rulers, including the British, lacked any genuine attachment to India and its traditions.
Yadav highlighted that the NEP 2020 aims to promote self-reliance and values through education.
“Education should instill pride in our culture while also preparing us for the future. We must move away from remnants of the colonial past that once enslaved our country. The National Education Policy is designed to achieve this vision,” he added.
Gandhi’s article accused the central government of prioritising control over education, outsourcing investments to private entities, and infusing communal narratives into textbooks and curricula.
She contended that these three aspects—centralisation, commercialisation, and communalisation—had a severe impact on students, underscoring the urgent need for change.
The debate over the NEP 2020 continues to intensify, with the ruling BJP defending the policy as a step towards educational reform, while the opposition Congress sees it as a tool for ideological and structural manipulation. As discussions around the policy persist, it remains a significant point of contention in India's evolving education landscape.
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