Congress Ties TN Fund Freeze to Three-Language Policy Row

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Manickam Tagore has accused the Union government of withholding ₹5,109 crore owed to Tamil Nadu under the *Samagra Shiksha* scheme over the past three years, citing figures from the state's School Education Department.

He alleged that the Centre had also delayed *Right to Education* funds despite a Supreme Court order, forcing the state government to spend from its own resources to keep schools running. According to Mr. Tagore, this financial squeeze is hurting learning outcomes, teacher training, and infrastructure development in government schools.

Crucially, he linked the fund withholding to the Centre's broader push over language and curriculum policy, accusing it of pressuring Tamil Nadu for opposing the *three-language policy* and refusing to adopt the *PM-SHRI scheme* and the *National Education Policy*. Calling this an "assault on federalism," Tagore has written to Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi demanding the unconditional release of the pending funds.