The debate over language in Tamil Nadu has once again become a major issue, with the state's ruling party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and the central government clashing over the National Education Policy (NEP). The conflict is centred around the three-language formula introduced by the NEP, which Tamil Nadu sees as an attempt to impose Hindi on the state. The issue sparked heated arguments both inside and outside Parliament on Monday, leading to a major political storm.

What happened in Parliament?

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised the DMK in Parliament, accusing them of "ruining the future of students" in Tamil Nadu. His comments created an uproar, and he also used a controversial term to describe Tamil Nadu, which he later withdrew. The term was then removed from official records in the Lok Sabha.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin strongly responded to the minister’s remarks. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he told Mr. Pradhan to "mind his words" and called him an "arrogant" leader who "thinks of himself as a king." Stalin also warned that the central government cannot force Tamil Nadu to follow the three-language policy.

"You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Does the Honourable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, accept this?" Mr. Stalin asked, tagging the Prime Minister in his post.

DMK MP K. Kanimozhi also took action against Pradhan's comments by submitting a privilege motion to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. A privilege motion is a formal complaint made when a lawmaker feels their rights have been violated in Parliament.

The three-language formula and Tamil Nadu’s stand

The central government’s National Education Policy introduces a three-language system, which includes Hindi, English, and a regional language. However, Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language system (Tamil and English) for several decades and has always opposed the imposition of Hindi.

Mr. Pradhan claimed in Parliament that Tamil Nadu had initially agreed to implement the NEP but later changed its decision for political reasons. He accused the DMK of using the issue to gain votes in upcoming elections. He also claimed that "internal bickering" within the DMK was responsible for their shift in stance.

The DMK, however, denied these allegations. Party leader Dayanidhi Maran stated, "DMK never agreed to NEP or the three-language policy. All we said is our students need not learn three languages while students from the north learn only one. We are not against Hindi... if students want to learn it, they are free to do so, but it should not be compulsory."

BJP leader Tamilisai Soundarajan, a former Governor of Tamil Nadu, also criticised the DMK, saying that they were denying students from poor backgrounds the right to study a third language. "When children from affluent families can study three languages, why is the same opportunity being denied to poor children?" she asked.

Tamil Nadu’s history of anti-Hindi protests

The issue of 'Hindi imposition' has been a sensitive one in Tamil Nadu for a long time. In the 1960s, there were violent protests against making Hindi a mandatory language in schools. The DMK, which has traditionally opposed the imposition of Hindi, argues that Tamil Nadu has done well with its existing system and does not need to adopt a third language.

In contrast, the BJP argues that the three-language system will help students when they travel to other states for work or education. Last month, in an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr. Pradhan accused the Tamil Nadu government of "creating a false narrative" about the NEP and depriving students of educational opportunities for political reasons.

Last week, the debate escalated when Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Stalin exchanged statements on the issue. Mr. Shah claimed that the central government had done more for Tamil speakers than the DMK, pointing out that candidates for the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) exams could now write in their mother tongue. He urged Mr. Stalin to introduce Tamil as a medium of instruction for medical and engineering courses.

Mr. Stalin, however, responded that Tamil Nadu would not accept Hindi being forced upon it. He reminded the central government that in 2023, the CAPF exams were allowed in regional languages only after strong protests from Tamil Nadu. "History is clear. Those who tried to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu have either been defeated or later changed their stance and aligned with DMK," Stalin said.

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