The Tamil Nadu government and opposition parties in the state on Saturday protested the central government’s proposed three-language system in schools across India, a media report said.
“Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has written to the Centre stating that Tamil Nadu will continue to have a two-language mode in the State,” the report quoted state school education minister Sengottaiyan as saying.
The minister clarified that the government will continue the state policy of dual-language method of education.
The National Education Policy 2019, drafted by an expert committee, states that non-Hindi speaking states would include the regional language, English and Hindi, while states, where Hindi is spoken, would have English and another modern Indian language in addition to Hindi.'
‘Students will be required to attain proficiency in discussing their major in at least one Indian language through an appropriate written project or presentation in that language,’ the policy says.
Minister for co-operation Sellur Raju exuded confidence that the chief minister would thwart the Centre's attempt to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu.
“Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami will address the new draft of a trilingual system of education put forth by the National Education Policy committee,” he stated.
Opposing the triple-language policy of the Centre, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said, “Forcing Hindi in Tamil Nadu is like setting a warehouse on fire.” The DMK will do what it takes to oppose the move, Siva added.
“The DMK will oppose in Parliament if any language, not just Hindi, is thrust upon us,” said DMK MP Kanimozhi to reporters, adding that her party would not allow any policy that is against a specific language.
Leader of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) T T V Dhinakaran too protested the move. ‘The order by Central government to include Hindi as a mandatory subject till class eight is condemnable,’ he tweeted.
Actor and founder of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) Kamal Haasan stated that learning the language cannot be made compulsory. “I have acted in Hindi films; my opinion is that nothing should be enforced and people should decide what they can learn,” he said.