TN CM wants Tamil as optional language for states

Stoking a potential row, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday appeared to endorse the controversial three-language policy by asking the Centre to include Tamil as an “optional language” for study in other states.

Palaniswami’s terse statement in a tweet posted on his official Twitter page set off another intense debate on the three-language policy that was proposed by the Dr Kasturirangan Committee on education when everyone thought the controversy has died down.

“Request Hon'ble PM @narendramodi ji to include Tamil as an optional language for study in other states. This will be a great service to one of the most ancient languages of the world,” Palaniswami said in a tweet on Wednesday morning.

The Chief Minister’s statement is interpreted as indirectly endorsing the three-language policy being mulled by the Centre and thereby paving the way for learning Hindi in Tamil Nadu, which has vehemently opposed “imposition” of the language since 1960s.

Palaniswami’s statement is seen as a departure from the publicly stated policy of the Tamil Nadu government that it has no plans to revamp or change the two-language policy in place in the state since the 1960s. His statement was quickly condemned by VCK chief and Chidambaram constituency MP Thol Thirumavalavan who said this was an indirect way of allowing Hindi in Tamil Nadu.