Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attends Debang community's 100th anniversary celebrations

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 4 : Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday expressed happiness while attending the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Debang community.
"I am happy to be part of this auspicious occasion. The Debang community is celebrating its 100th anniversary... They have invited me to share the joy with them. I am very happy to be a part of this great community movement. This community has always been the backbone of the country's economy..." he said.
Earlier, on December 31, Pradhan on Wednesday asked the Tamil Nadu government to implement the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, in the state, stating that Tamil should be the medium of instruction up to standard five as per the policy's recommendation.
NEP has been an issue of contention between the Centre and the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu.
"We are now implementing the national education policy. In Tamil Nadu, Tamil should be the medium of instruction up to standard five. This is the recommendation of the national education policy. I am hopeful that the local government will encourage the Tamil language in the early stages. If we take care of the children, they will be the future leaders of our society," Union Minister Pradhan told reporters in Madurai.
The Tamil Nadu government has opposed the NEP 2020, claiming the imposition of Hindi under the three-language formula. In August 2025, the MK Stalin government rolled out the State Education Policy with a two-language formula to counter the Centre's NEP.
The tussle between the Centre and the state has also reached the apex court. On December 15, the Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to hold discussions with the central government on the issue of establishing Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in the state. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan also asked the state government to ascertain the extent of land necessary for establishing JNVs.