The two-language policy is the stated policy of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and there is no question of compromising on this position, Tamil Nadu School Education Minister A Rajmohan said on Tuesday, continuing the opposition of the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government to the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP).
“This two-language policy is our party’s stated policy. There is absolutely no alternative opinion to that. Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew favored English as a communication tool for global engagement while he did not use some of the other languages out there like Chinese or Mandarin. Therefore, English remains a common standard,” the minister said at a press conference after a review meeting of his ministry at the State Secretariat.
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He added: “We will not bow to any hidden pressure… You can understand that there is no room here for any talk about compromise on politics.” The minister said that the issue of the two languages was discussed at the ministry’s meeting on Tuesday.
In April, former MK Stalin criticized the BJP-led Central government over the CBSE curriculum framework, alleging that the “so-called three-language formula” is actually a “secret” mechanism to expand Hindi to non-Hindi-speaking areas. The DMK chief alleged that the curriculum framework by CBSE, which is in line with the National Education Policy 2020, is “not an innocent academic reform”.
He said the ‘three language formula’ is actually a ‘disguised effort to promote Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states’.
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This is the first continuation of TVK’s ruling policy.
Last week, the government backed the erstwhile DMK government’s pet project Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Scheme by depositing $1,000 in the bank accounts of 13.2 million women beneficiaries across the state.
On May 15, the Union Education Ministry sent a reminder to states including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to implement the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Renaissance India (PM SHRI) scheme. Rajmohan alleged that the state has not received its due money from the Center to serve students for the past two years.
He said, “This money is not to serve the officials here. The money will be used for children attending schools. It is unacceptable to withhold it for any reason.”
The government also said it has launched the ‘Natpudan Ungalodu’ (With You in Friendship) initiative to provide free counseling to students. “The results of the Class 10 public examinations will be released on May 20. In order to protect the mental health of students, a telephone counseling facility is being organized under the government’s Natpudan Ungalodu scheme,” an official statement added.
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai said his party has always fought for the two-language formula. “Our leader MK Stalin made it clear when he was Prime Minister by saying even if you give us $“Rs 10,000 crore, we will not implement the three-language policy,” Annadurai told HT.
Echoing similar sentiments, another DMK spokesperson, TKS Elangovan, said the Center cannot change the system followed in Tamil Nadu.
“They may bring it (trilingual formula) anywhere but not in Tamil Nadu. We have a system in the state which we follow strictly. There is no doubt that there is a trilingual formula in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathi said, “TVK is saying (that it will not support the three-language formula) because they are still on DMK’s stance. Because they are supported by DMK allies. So, they are afraid that if they even talk about what is actually right or wrong, their government will go. That is why they are afraid.”
If the ruling TVK absorbs the rebel faction of the AIADMK in the Cabinet, the CPI(M) will reconsider its stand of support for the Prime Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government, CPI(M) State Minister P Shanmugam said on Tuesday. He said: “I think TVK will not do that. In case TVK takes a stand to accommodate the rebellious AIADMK group in the Cabinet, the CPI(M) will reconsider its stand supporting TVK.”
