The three-language plan in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP), unveiled recently by the Centre, has been firmly rejected by the Tamil Nadu government.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, in a statement issued on Monday, has opposed the plan, saying, “Such a move would offend sentiments in Tamil Nadu.”
“The three-language formula is saddening and painful. The Prime Minister should reconsider it and let the states handle it according to their policies,” the statement added.
“Tamil Nadu has implemented the two-language policy for decades and we will continue to do so,” the statement added.
“I request the Prime Minister to listen to the sentiments of people of Tamil Nadu,” the statement further read.
The Tamil Nadu government’s stance comes in the wake of stiff resistance to the plan by opposition parties.
DMK party leader MK Stalin has been vociferous against the plan, which is seen as a ploy to introduce Sanskrit and Hindi languages into the state where Dravidian movements hold sway.
Due to the anti-Hindi and anti-Sanskrit sentiments involved, the issue has the potential to emerge as a poll plank in the next Assembly election against the ruling AIADMK and its ally the BJP.