New Delhi, May 22 -- The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court against the Union government for withholding Rs.2,151 crore funds under a centrally-sponsored education scheme, alleging it was done to "coerce" and "force" the southern state to implement the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. In a suit filed on Tuesday, the chief minister MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government 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 (Centre) 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 legislate under Entry 25, List III and seeks to coerce and force the plaintiff State to implement the NEP-2020 throughout the state in its entirety and to deviate from the education regime followed in the plaintiff state," the suit, settled filed by advocate Sabarish Subramanian, stated. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led government has maintained that the Union government has sought to link the release of funds to the acceptance of the NEP and another central scheme, PM SHRI Schools. The suit further said the memorandum of understanding of the PM SHRI Schools dictates NEP implementation in Tamil Nadu in its entirety. This was not agreeable to the state due to the opposition to Clause 4.13 of the NEP, envisaging a three-language formula. "Such coercive tactics are neither legally permissible nor consistent with state legislation, particularly in light of the two-language formula adopted by the state," it added. The suit was filed under the Constitution's Article 131, dealing with the court's power to decide on Union-state disputes. It said the withholding of its "obligatory share" under the SSS has crippled the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009....