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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin Responds Fiercely to BJP’s ‘Arrogant’ Criticism Amid Hindi Imposition Row
The ongoing language dispute between Tamil Nadu and the Centre over the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the alleged imposition of Hindi has once again escalated, with a war of words erupting in Parliament on Monday.
The conflict ignited after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government of being “uncivilised” and “ruining the future of students in Tamil Nadu” due to its opposition to the NEP’s three-language formula. He argued that the DMK was raising language barriers for political gain and undermining the state’s education system.
Pradhan’s remarks, made in the Lok Sabha, targeted the DMK for allegedly backtracking on its earlier agreement to implement the NEP, particularly the controversial three-language policy. He claimed that the party’s opposition was driven by internal politics and an attempt to garner votes ahead of the 2024 elections.
Responding to Pradhan’s accusations, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin fired back in a fiery open letter posted on X (formerly Twitter). Stalin accused Pradhan of arrogance, criticizing him for insulting the people of Tamil Nadu and treating the Centre as if it were a monarch. He directly addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether he condoned Pradhan’s “arrogant” remarks and questioned whether the Centre could justify withholding educational funds from Tamil Nadu due to its rejection of the three-language policy.
Stalin also reminded the BJP that Tamil Nadu had unequivocally rejected the NEP and its three-language formula. He characterized the Centre’s threat to withhold funds as “blackmail” and demanded a clear answer from the Prime Minister regarding the financial implications for
Tamil Nadu students and their rights.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Tamil Nadu Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan joined the fray, accusing the DMK of denying students from lower-income families the opportunity to study a third language. She argued that while affluent children could learn three languages, the poor were being deprived of the same educational opportunities.
However, the DMK strongly rebutted these claims. Senior party leaders Dayanidhi Maran and Kanimozhi dismissed the accusations of reneging on an agreement to implement the NEP. Maran clarified that the DMK had never agreed to the three-language policy, asserting that the party’s position was that Tamil Nadu students should not be compelled to learn three languages when students in the north were required to learn only one. He stressed that the DMK was not opposed to Hindi but insisted that learning it should be voluntary, not mandatory.
The language row over Hindi imposition is a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu, which has a long history of opposition to the forced imposition of the language. The region witnessed violent anti-Hindi riots in the 1960s, and the controversy continues to stir strong emotions today, particularly as the BJP pushes forward with its educational reforms.
This latest escalation marks a new chapter in the ongoing battle between Tamil Nadu and the Centre, with both sides digging in their heels as they prepare for the next election cycle.
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