Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday expressed his government’s disappointment over the three-language policy introduced by the Central government in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Stating that his state has been already following a two-language policy since decades, the chief minister asserted that there won’t be any changes in it.
He added that the AIADMK government will never allow a trilingual policy. The CM also recalled that former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa too was firm on opposing Hindi on non-Hindi speaking States and in thwarting such efforts.
“If there is any harm to the Tamil language or Tamils, the government will take immediate action to eradicate it,” Palaniswami said in a series of tweets.
The chief minister also requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pay heed to the unanimous demand of the people of Tamil Nadu to reconsider the three-language policy and allow states to make a decision as per their own policy.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami made the remarks after chairing a meeting of Cabinet colleagues at the Secretariat in Chennai.
Teaching up to class 5 in mother tongue or regional language and lowering the stakes of board exams are part of the sweeping reforms in the new NEP unveiled last week.
“Wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language, mother tongue, local language or the regional language. Thereafter, the home or local language shall continue to be taught as a language wherever possible. This will be followed by both public and private schools,” said the policy.