Tamil Nadu is not in favour of introducing the three language formula.Speaking to the press, after the state cabinet meeting, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, said in Chennai, he vowed not to implement the new policy. The three-language formula in the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is "painful and saddening. The state will continue with it's dual language policy of Tamil and English," the chief minister said.
Palaniswami listed the consistent stand by late Chief Ministers Anna Durai, MGR and Jayalalithaa to express against imposition of Hindi and urged Prime Minister Modi to "reconsider" the three-language policy adding the Centre should allow the states to implement their own policy on the subject.Though the three-language policy leaves it to states to decide on what that language would be, political parties in Tamil Nadu look at this as a tacit attempt by the centre to impose Hindi.
Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank clarified through a tweet in Tamil that the Centre will not impose any language on any state.The MK Stalin-led DMK and many opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have opposed NEP and want a review of the sweeping reforms it has proposed. The reforms were not a new education policy but "a glossy coat on the old oppressive Manusmriti," the DMK leader had said.
Imposition of Hindi has always been an emotional issue in Tamil Nadu although schools affiliated to the state board teach Hindi as an optional language. In T N, assembly elections are due in 2021, this is one issue the ruling AIADMK which suffered a rout in the last Lok Sabha polls can't afford to toe centre's line.
