Tamil Nadu CM should reconsider his views on three-language formula, says BJP

The BJP in Tamil Nadu on Monday asked Chief Minister K Palaniswami to reconsider the ruling AIADMK’s opposition to the three-language formula proposed in the New Education Policy, saying the poor and the middle class in the state wanted it so that they can be on par with students of CBSE schools and other states. The two-language policy had been in place for the last five decades and its continuation would take the state backward by 50 years, BJP Tamil Nadu unit Vice-president Vanathi Srinivasan claimed. She attacked the DMK, which has come out against the NEP, accusing it of playing a double game and politics over the issue by claiming that Vedas were sought to be imposed and saying BJP always stood against untouchability. Reacting to Palaniswami’s statement backing the two- language policy, she told reporters in Chennsi all cannot afford to study in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools and the strength of students studying in the state-run Tamil medium schools had been decreasing over the years. Considering the plight of such students, the Chief Minister should reconsider the decision to oppose the three-language formula, she said adding there would be no problem in studying additional languages. The new policy was formulated after consulting with the educationists, academicians and the people, she said. Targeting DMK, Srinivasan said the opposition party chief MK Stalin should come forward and prove that the schools “run by his relatives and party cadres” were not teaching Hindi and bring out a white paper on the issue. She also sought to know whether the MPs from Tamil Nadu, who opposed the three-language policy, will surrender the 10 Kendriya Vidyalaya seats each allotted under the MPs quota for admission to the centrally-run schools. “Are the 39 MPs from Tamil Nadu, who oppose the three-language policy, ready to surrender the 10 seats allotted to them in Kendriya Vidyalaya, which they use for commercial purpose,” she asked. In view of the future of poor students, both the ruling AIADMK and DMK should not not oppose the three-language policy, the BJP leader said. While Palaniswami said the three-language formula in the NEP “is painful and saddening” and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider it, the DMK led alliance comprising the Congress, MDMK, VCK, CPM, CPI and MMK, wrote to the former asking him to pass a resolution against the new NEP in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet meeting.