JOIN USTamil Nadu rejects three-language formula, to continue with two-language policy
Tamil Nadu on Monday became the first state to reject the three-language formula proposed in the New Education Policy (NEP) of the Union Government by declaring that it would continue with the existing two-language policy that has been in force in the state for decades.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the three-language formula finding place in the NEP released by the Centre last week was “sad” and “disappointing” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the proposal. The state governments should be allowed to implement language formulas in line with their policy, he added.
The government has also appointed a high-powered committee to go into other aspects of the NEP.
“Despite the NEP released by the Centre containing a three-language formula, the government that is guided by Amma (Jayalalithaa) will never allow a three-language formula and will continue to follow the existing two-language policy,” Palaniswami said in a statement.
Palaniswami’s statement came as there was wide-spread opposition in Tamil Nadu to the three-language formula proposed in the NEP. His announcement also coincided with a letter written by leaders of the DMK alliance including Opposition Leader M K Stalin asking him to reject the language formula.
Language is a very sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu and the then Congress’ government’s efforts to force Hindi saw the party being thrown out of power in 1967. Since then, it has only piggy-backed on one of the Dravidian parties to face elections.
The state has been following the two-language formula of English and Tamil for the past several decades and has stonewalled every move to “impose” Hindi or any other language.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu believe that the three-language policy will ensure “back-door entry” to Sanskrit or Hindi in the state which has kept them at arm’s length so far.
In the statement, Palaniswami noted that Tamil Nadu has been following the two-language formula for the past 80 years and recalled statements by former Chief Ministers C N Annadurai, M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa who had time and again reinforced the need for continuing with the existing language policy.
“In 1968, the then Chief Minister C N Annadurai had brought a resolution in the Assembly resolving that Tamil Nadu will follow two-language policy by including Tamil and English and remove Hindi from the curriculum. In 1986, the then Chief Minister M G Ramachandran had passed another resolution reaffirming two language policy,” Palaniswami said in the statement.
Late Jayalalithaa had also maintained that Hindi should not be imposed on non-Hindi speaking states, Palaniswami noted.
The Centre should reconsider the three-language formula by considering the sentiments of the entire Tamil population, Palaniswami said, requesting Modi to allow states to implement the language formula in line with their policy.