No surprises there. Sonia Gandhi's column criticising the National Education Policy in The Hindu has triggered reactions.
The Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson on Monday accused the BJP-led government of hijacking India’s education system, slamming the NEP for centralising power, pushing privatisation, and injecting communal bias into textbooks.
The Congress leader pointed to the closure of 89,441 schools since 2014, the non-release of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds, and the unilateral appointment of university vice-chancellors.
Gandhi accused the Centre of rewriting history by erasing the Preamble of the Constitution, omitting Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination from textbooks, and making universities reliant on loans, driving up student fees.
The BJP, however, hit back hard, calling Gandhi’s attack hypocritical and accusing the Congress of clinging to colonial-era policies that stifled India’s growth.
Fadnavis: ‘Sonia Gandhi should support Indianisation of education’
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the NEP, calling it a necessary step to undo the damage caused by colonial education policies.
“I think this (NEP) is Indianisation of the education system of India. If the Education Policy that Macaulay brought to enslave our country is replaced, any patriot will support it. Sonia Gandhi should know more about it and support the Indianisation of the Indian education system," Fadnavis said.
Tarun Chugh: ‘Remove Italian spectacles’
BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh launched a personal attack on Gandhi, accusing her of viewing India through a "colonial lens."
"For 60 years after independence, Congress kept the country in the grip of colonial mentality. Instead of teaching India’s glorious history, Congress spread communalism and appeasement through education. Sonia Gandhi will only be able to see real patriotism if she removes the Italian spectacles from her eyes," Chugh said.
Syed Shahnawaz Hussain: ‘Sonia Gandhi wants policy that provokes people’
BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain called out Gandhi for rejecting the NEP, claiming she supports an outdated, divisive system.
"The country's education policy is excellent, but Sonia Gandhi objects to it. She prefers an education policy that provokes people. It is unfortunate that she is questioning India's education policy," Hussain said.
Tulla Veerender Goud: ‘Congress fears losing control over education’
Telangana BJP spokesperson Tulla Veerender Goud accused the Congress of being rattled by the NEP’s decentralisation of power.
"Congress & Sonia Gandhi whining about centralization, commercialization & communalization is peak hypocrisy! Congress did all three for decades! Congress ran a scam-ridden education system where states barely had a say. Congress left Indian education underfunded, forcing students into private hands. NEP increases public education spending to 6% of GDP & offers scholarships and Digital Universities. Under Congress, NCERT textbooks glorified invaders and erased India’s heritage. NEP corrects this, making education rooted in truth, not political agendas. Congress fears NEP because it ends their control over India’s education & brainwashing," Goud wrote on X.
C.R. Kesavan: ‘Sonia Gandhi mocking our people’
BJP spokesperson C.R. Kesavan tore into Gandhi, calling her column a lesson in hypocrisy. He reminded her that it was the Congress, under Indira Gandhi’s Emergency rule, that centralized education by moving it from the State List to the Concurrent List through the 42nd Amendment.
"Sonia Gandhi is shockingly insulting & mocking our people by preaching about Constitutional morality in context of Centralization of Education. She should be reminded that during Indira Gandhi's dictatorial Emergency, education was moved to the Concurrent List through the draconian 42nd amendment. Blatant Hypocrisy," Kesavan wrote on X.
He further accused the Congress of distorting textbooks under the UPA regime, labeling freedom fighters as terrorists and defaming Hindu deities.
"During the UPA regime, NCERT & IGNOU textbooks labeled the spirited Khudiram Bose as a terrorist and carried obscene content maligning Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga," Kesavan said.
Taking direct aim at Gandhi, Kesavan accused the Congress of betraying Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals.
"The original Gandhi dreamed of Ram Rajya while the Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty-led Govt filed an affidavit in SC saying there was no historical proof of Lord Ram. Rahul Gandhi then called the Praan Pratishta ceremony a Naach Gaana Event," he added.
Samajwadi Party and DMK take on BJP
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi defended the preservation of historical accuracy, warning against politically motivated erasure.
"The truth of history must be preserved, whether it includes praise or criticism of anyone. Attempting to erase historical facts to promote communalism is completely unacceptable," Azmi said.
DMK leader T.K.S. Elangovan accused the BJP of dismantling the education system that produced world-class Indian scientists and professionals.
"They want to kill Macaulay’s system of education, which has produced very good students, scientists from India. The education system in Tamil Nadu is the best in India. But they want to kill this and introduce a Vedic system without any scientific base. They want the people of India to remain as Shudras. That is the idea of RSS, which this BJP govt is following," Elangovan said.
Slamming the BJP’s push for regional languages, Elangovan argued that quality education matters more than language.
"Let them follow the New Education Policy in Central schools with CBSE, and there won't be any students left there. The students will come to the State Board," he added.
Ideological war over education
The battle over India’s education system has turned into a full-blown ideological war. The BJP claims the NEP will 'decolonise' education by shedding Macaulay’s legacy, while the Congress sees it as a dangerous push for saffronisation and centralissation. With regional parties jumping into the fray, the fight over classrooms is becoming a political battlefield.