Chennai:
The ‘language war‘ between Tamil Nadu and the centre – the contention that the BJP is trying to ‘impose Hindi‘ on the southern state in the guise of a National Education Policy – continued Wednesday afternoon with Chief Minister MK Stalin calling it a plan to develop Hindi rather than India.
Mr Stalin has led the state’s charge; this has included firing sharp attacks on Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, whom he last month accused of ‘blackmail’ by threatening to withhold funds and this week said was “arrogant” and “acting like a king”; after he used a pejorative to describe Tamilians.
On Wednesday evening the DMK leader stepped up his attacks, declaring at an event in Tiruvallur, “The National Education Policy is not education policy… it is a saffronisation policy.”
“The policy was not created to develop India… but to develop Hindi. We are opposing this policy as it will completely destroy the Tamil Nadu education system,” he said, emphasising what he has been saying over the past fortnight – that the centre denying Rs 2,150 crore in funds for state-run schools till its education policy is implemented amounts to an attack on the nation’s federal structure.
Tiruvallur | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin says, “National Education Policy is not education policy; it is saffronise policy. The policy is not created to develop India but to develop Hindi. We are opposing the Policy as it would destroy the Tamil Nadu education system completely…”… https://t.co/X9v9qF3Omu pic.twitter.com/1XQ9dzNmXA
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2025
In his speech Mr Stalin fired questions at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue, claiming the centre is acting “like a dictatorship to destroy the rights of states and the federal structure”.
“You said you would give importance to states (when Mr Modi was campaigning to become the PM). But what have you done so far to give importance to federalism?” he asked, also accusing the BJP of taking “political revenge” for electoral defeats in Tamil Nadu in 2021 and 2024.
“We are asking for our share of taxes… which we paid with our efforts. What is the problem with this? Is it fair to threaten and not release funds for the welfare of 43 lakh schools? Because we don’t accept NEP, they are refusing to release funds that belong to Tamil Nadu…”
“We would have welcomed NEP if it brought everyone into education (i.e., increased school enrolment) But NEP removes people from education (i.e., the DMK claims it will disincentive Tamil students as Hindi will be ‘forced’ on them’). That is why we are opposing it…” he said.
The row over ‘Hindi imposition’ – a sensitive topic in the south, and particularly in Tamil Nadu, where ‘anti-Hindi’ riots broke out in the 1960s and which has always been opposed to the language being foisted on it – re-erupted last month with the BJP pushing its new policy.
The DMK, and its ally, the Congress, has argued Tamil Nadu – the second-largest state economy – has flourished under a two-language system that teaches Tamil and English.
The BJP, though, maintains its formula will benefit Tamil people travelling to other states.
It has said no student will be forced to learn Hindi as the third language, and has counter-accused the DMK of politicising the language issue ahead of next year’s Assembly election.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV last month, Mr Pradhan accused the DMK of creating a “false narrative” and depriving students of academic progress for their own political ends.
READ | “Creating Anti-Delhi Narrative”: Education Minister Slams MK Stalin
Much of the ‘language war’ face-off between the DMK and the BJP-led centre has revolved around Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s claim the Tamil party had last year agreed to set up PM SHRI, or Schools for Rising India, institutions, but later went back on its words.
This, Mr Pradhan said in Parliament on Monday, showed the DMK to be “dishonest”.
In response the DMK filed a privilege motion against the Union Minister for making “factually incorrect” statements in the House. DMK MP Kanimozhi said the state had agreed to set up these schools but with certain conditions that were, eventually, not met.
Earlier Mr Stalin and Union Home Minister Amit Shah exchanged jabs.
Mr Shah claimed the centre had done more for Tamil speakers than the state party, pointing to a decision to allow candidates for the Central Armed Police Force entrance test to write in their mother tongue. “I want to urge the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to take steps towards introducing the curriculum of medical and engineering courses in Tamil as soon as possible,” he declared.
It is important, however, to note the centre approved the conduct of CAPF exams in 13 regional languages, in 2023, days after Mr Stalin protested the decision to conduct it only in Hindi and English.
“This (‘Hindi imposition’) is like an kindergarten student lecturing a PhD holder….” he said.
“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 (the unspoken reference was to the Congress, which was in power at the centre during the anti-Hindi riots of the 1960s and is now a firm ally). Tamil Nadu will not tolerate Hindi colonialism replacing British colonialism,” the Chief Minister had responded.
With input from agencies
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