Tue Mar 11 06:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu-Centre Clash Erupts Over National Education Policy’s Three-Language Formula

**New Delhi/Chennai:** A major political clash has erupted between the Tamil Nadu government and the Indian central government over the National Education Policy’s (NEP) three-language formula, which Tamil Nadu views as an imposition of Hindi. The conflict exploded in Parliament on Monday, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accusing the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party of jeopardizing the future of Tamil Nadu students by opposing the policy. Pradhan’s comments, including a withdrawn pejorative remark about Tamil Nadu, sparked outrage and led to a brief parliamentary adjournment.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin vehemently criticized Pradhan’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter), calling them arrogant and demanding an apology. He accused the Union Minister of acting like a king and insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Stalin also challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to Pradhan’s earlier threat to withhold educational funds from Tamil Nadu if it doesn’t comply with the three-language policy. Stalin has previously described this threat as blackmail.

The DMK, meanwhile, has submitted a privilege motion against Pradhan. Party MPs Dayanidhi Maran and K. Kanimozhi refuted Pradhan’s claims that the DMK had initially agreed to the NEP’s three-language formula, asserting that the party has consistently opposed making Hindi compulsory. They maintained that their opposition is not to Hindi itself, but to its mandatory imposition.

Adding fuel to the fire, BJP leader and former Tamil Nadu Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan accused the DMK of denying poor students the opportunity to learn a third language, a privilege she claims is available to wealthier students.

The controversy highlights the long-standing sensitivity surrounding Hindi imposition in Tamil Nadu, a state with a history of resistance against such attempts. The DMK argues that Tamil Nadu has thrived with a two-language system (Tamil and English) and sees no need for a third. The BJP, conversely, maintains that its three-language formula benefits students seeking opportunities in other states. The debate is likely to intensify as the 2024 Assembly elections approach.

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