Hindi row: TN will never accept 3-language policy, says Udhayanidhi Stalin after Dharmendra Pradhan’s criticism

Amid a tussle between the DMK and the BJP over the language policy, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday said the state will never accept the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the three-language policy.

His comments came after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan strongly criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of raising "imaginary concerns" driven by political motivations.

"We are asking for our financial rights, which are to be given to the people of Tamil Nadu. We are asking for educational funds for Tamil Nadu students. They were giving funds of rupees 2,150 crores for these many years but now they are saying we should accept NEP, three language policy," Udhayanidhi said.

"Tamil Nadu has always been against the three language policy. We have said clearly that we will never accept that," he added.

Politics over language

Highlighting that people have given their lives for language in a state like Tamil Nadu, the deputy CM said: "What is there to do politics in this? I don't understand. Tamil Nadu is the state in which, for language rights, many have given their life. You can understand who is doing politics."

During a press conference earlier in the day, Pradhan emphasised that the NEP 2020 is not imposing any language on a state.

"One point I want to re-emphasise is that the NEP is not recommending imposition of any language on the respective students of a state. That means, in no way, the NEP is recommending imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu," Pradhan said.

He also emphasised that the primary essence of the NEP is to bring global standards to education, and simultaneously, it has to be rooted in India.

Stalin had written a letter to Modi regarding the release of 'Samagra Shiksha' funds for the state, following Pradhan's statement that Tamil Nadu's 'Samagra Shiksha' funds will not be released until the state implements the 'three language' policy mentioned in NEP 2020.