Chennai:
‘Language War’ between Tamil Nadu and the Center – the controversy that the BJP is trying to ‘impose Hindi’ on the southern state under the guise of a national education policy – on Wednesday afternoon with Chief Minister MK Stalin, a plan to develop Hindi instead of India.
Mr. Stalin has led the state’s charge; This includes a sharp attack on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, which he accused of ‘blackmail’ last month, threatening to withdraw money and said this week that “arrogant” and “acting like a king”; He later used a pejorative to describe Tamils.
On Wednesday evening, the DMK leader carried forward his attacks, announced a program in Thiruvallur, “The National Education Policy is not a education policy … it is a Kesaran policy.”
He said, “The policy was not made to develop India … but to develop Hindi. We are opposing this policy because it will completely destroy the Tamil Nadu education system,” he said, stressing what he is saying in the last fortnight – the state refused to Rs 2,150 crore for the state -run schools unless their education policy attacked the union structure of the country.
Thiruvalore | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin says, “National Education Policy is not a education policy; it is a policy of saffron. The policy is not made to develop India but to develop Hindi. We are opposing the policy as it will completely destroy the Tamil Nadu education system …” https://t.co/x9v9qf3omu pic.twitter.com/1xq9dznmxa
– Annie (@ani) March 12, 2025
In his speech, Mr. Stalin questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, claiming that the Center is “working like a dictatorship to destroy the rights and federal structure of the states”.
“You said that you will give importance to the states (when Mr. Modi was campaigning to become PM). But what have you done so far to give importance to federalism?” He also asked the BJP of “political revenge” for electoral defeat in Tamil Nadu in 2021 and 2024.
“We are asking for our share of taxes … what we have paid with our efforts. What is the problem with it? Is it appropriate to threaten and not to release funds for the welfare of 43 lakh schools? Because we do not accept NEP, they are refusing to release funds related to Tamil Nadu …”
“We would have welcomed NEP if it brought everyone into education (ie, increase in school enrollment) but NEP removed people from education (ie, DMK claims that it will disintegrate Tamil students because Hindi will be ‘forced’ on them). That is why we are opposing it …” He said.
Row on ‘Hindi ton’ – a sensitive topic in the south, and especially in Tamil Nadu, where ‘anti -Hindi’ riots took place in the 1960s and which has always been noted that it is being noted – the BJP carried forward its new policy last month.
DMK, and its ally, Congress, has flourished under Tamil Nadu – second largest state economy – two language systems, which teaches Tamil and English.
The BJP, however, maintains its formula, will benefit Tamil people traveling to other states.
It has said that no student will be forced to learn Hindi as a third language, and has opposed the DMK to politicize the language issue before next year’s assembly elections.
In a special interview with NDTV last month, Mr. Pradhan accused DMK of creating a “false story” and depriving students of educational progress for his own political ends.
Read | “Anti-Dely Tale”: Education Minister slam MK Stalin
Most of the ‘Bhasha War’ between DMK and BJP-led Center revolves around the claim of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Tamil party had agreed to establish schools for PM Sri, or Rising India, institutions last year, but later returned to its words.
This, Mr. Pradhan said in Parliament on Monday, showed the DMK “dishonest”.
In response, DMK filed a privilege proposal against the Union Minister to make a “factually wrong” statement in the House. DMK MP Kanimozhi said that the state had agreed to establish these schools, but with certain conditions, which eventually, did not meet.
Earlier, Mr. Stalin and Union Home Minister Amit Shah exchanged Jabs.
Mr. Shah claimed that the Center had done more for Tamil speakers than the state party, which indicates the decision to allow candidates to write in their mother tongue for the Central Armed Police Force Entrance Examination. He announced, “I want to urge the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to take steps towards presenting the syllabus of medical and engineering courses in Tamil as soon as possible.”
However, it is important that the Center approved the conduct of CAPF examinations in 13 regional languages, in 2023, Mr. Stalin only opposed the decision to operate it in Hindi and English.
“This (‘Hindi to’) is like a kindergarten student who gives a lecture to a PhD holder ….” he said.
“History is clear. People who have tried to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, have either lost or have changed their stance and have aligned with DMK (unwarded reference was for Congress, which was in power in the center during the 1960s Hindi-Hindi riots and is now a firm ally.
With input from agencies
(Tagstotransite) MK Stalin (T) Hindi Assessment (T) National Education Policy
