‘Tamil Nadu To Face Another Language War If Hindi Imposed’: Udhayanidhi Even As Pradhan Denies Hindi Push Via NEP
Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin continues to claim an attempt to impose Hindi on the state through the NEP even as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan refutes the assertion.
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday strongly opposed the Centre’s three-language policy, alleging that the Union government was attempting to impose Hindi on the state through the New Education Policy (NEP). He warned that such an imposition would lead to another “language war” in Tamil Nadu.
"The Centre is planning to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu. In Haryana, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, their mother languages have been destroyed because of Hindi imposition. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says if we only accept NEP, they will provide funds, but now they are ready to provide ₹5,000 crore to ₹6,000 crore to accept NEP and trying to impose Hindi on us. If you (the Centre) are trying to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, I am saying now clearly that Tamil Nadu will face another language war," Udhayanidhi said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
The DMK leader also reiterated Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s stance, stating, "The Tamil Nadu CM is the person who has brought the Metro Railway project to Chennai. The CM said three things recently: we don't accept NEP, we won't accept delimitation, and we won't accept Hindi imposition. Today, the Centre is trying to impose Hindi sideways. The Centre is directly trying to impose Hindi through the New Education Policy."
"Tamil Nadu will never accept the New Education Policy and Hindi imposition in any manner. We (DMK) are not afraid of the Central Government’s threats because the current regime is DMK, not AIADMK. The current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is M K Stalin, not Edappadi Palaniswami (AIADMK Chief and Former CM)," he added.
'In Tamil Nadu, Some Are Opposing It Because Of Politics': Dharmendra Pradhan Denies Hindi Push In NEP
The remarks came after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan refuted the DMK government's allegations, asserting that the NEP 2020 does not impose Hindi on states and that Tamil Nadu’s opposition stemmed from political motives. "We have never said in NEP 2020 that only Hindi will be there; we have only said that education will be based on the mother tongue. In Tamil Nadu, it will be Tamil," Pradhan told reporters, as per news agency PTI.
VIDEO | Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) clears air about NEP 2020 after TN government opposed 3-language formula by saying, "I don't want to answer to the political ambitions of few people. NEP 2020 is focussed on different languages of India, be it… pic.twitter.com/4X7F6s3q3M
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 2, 2025
The minister further said, "I don't want to answer the political ambitions of a few people. NEP 2020 is focused on different languages of India, be it Hindi, Tamil, Odia, or Punjabi. All languages have equal importance. In Tamil Nadu, some are opposing it because of politics."
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Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Opposes Three-Language Policy
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had earlier said that forcing any language as a third language in schools was unnecessary in the age of Artificial Intelligence. "Advanced translation technology already removes language barriers instantly. Students should not be burdened with extra languages," Stalin wrote on X.
Stalin has also urged the people of Tamil Nadu to "rise" against the Centre’s policies, including the three-language policy and delimitation of constituencies. He alleged that the three-language policy had led to the Centre withholding funds meant for the state and warned that delimitation would "affect" Tamil Nadu's representation.
"Their three-language policy has already resulted in the withholding of our rightful funds. Likewise, while they claim they will not reduce Tamil Nadu's parliamentary seats, they are unwilling to assure that the representation of other states will not be disproportionately increased. Our demand is clear—do not determine parliamentary constituencies based on population alone. We will never compromise on Tamil Nadu's welfare and future for anyone or anything. Tamil Nadu will resist! Tamil Nadu will prevail," Stalin said, as quoted by ANI.
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