India, May 21 -- Tamil Nadu has moved the Supreme Court against the Union government's withholding of Rs.2,151 crore under a centrally-sponsored education scheme, alleging it was done to "coerce" and "force" the state to implement the National Education Policy (NEP).

In a suit filed on Tuesday, the state sought release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (SSS) for 2024-25. It said the funds were withheld due to the state's refusal to adopt the NEP and opposition to the three-language policy, which includes Hindi.

"The defendant by withholding the plaintiff's entitlement to receive funds under the SSS is an ignorance of the doctrine of co-operative federalism, usurpation of the Constitutional power of the plaintiff State to legisla...