New Delhi: Union human resources development minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said education is not a subject for party politics and asserted that dialogue is the key to avoid agitation.

Speaking to reporters, Javadekar said he was open to suggestions and consultations with everyone. Lauding Smriti Irani, whom he referred to as his “little sister”, Javadekar said he will consult her to take forward her “good initiatives”.

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“I am a product of student agitation so we will always talk with everybody. So, with dialogues in place, there will be no necessity of agitation,” Mr Javadekar said. “I accept this responsibility humbly and I will talk to our earlier minister, Murli Manohar Joshi,” he said. Dr M.M. Joshi, a former BJP president, is now part of the party’s “Margdarshak Mandal”.

Speaking on the new education policy, Mr Javadekar said it needs to become more relevant. “We have to make our education system more innovative,” he said and emphasised that the standard of education has to be raised. Asked about his elevation to Cabinet rank, Mr Javadekar said responsibility for the HRD ministry requires one. “You need to have a Cabinet minister. So it is a technical requirement,” he said.

On his handling of the environment and forests ministry, Mr Javadekar said he had always worked to empower tribals and any criticism of these aspects is misplaced. Asked about reports of the Congress planning an agitation on the alleged dilution of the Forest Rights Act, Mr Javadekar retorted with an apparent jibe at Rahul Gandhi, asking, “Has their leader returned? I don’t know. That is their internal issue.”

He added that political parties have a right to put forth their views and agitate but “there is no case for any agitation (on this issue) as of now”.