Hindi Row: 'Hindi was the third compulsory language even during the Congress period, DMK never made Tamil...'; BJP on three language controversy

The language dispute in Tamil Nadu is deepening. Now BJP's Tamil Nadu unit president K Annamalai has claimed that Hindi was a 'compulsory' third language during the Congress-led UPA government in Tamil Nadu. He said that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave the option of studying any Indian language as a third language. Further referring to the new education policy, the BJP leader said that PM Modi has made 'Tamil' a compulsory medium of education for classes 1-5 in the context of Tamil Nadu, whereas the DMK did not make Tamil language compulsory even after ruling Tamil Nadu for many years.

Addressing a public meeting in Tiruchirapalli, Annamalai also gave examples of countries like China, Germany, and Japan. He said that today these countries have been able to develop because they educate their children in their mother tongue. He said that Hindi was a compulsory third language in the first two education policies and the same is in the draft of NEP 2020. Further referring to the three-language policy, Annamalai said that in May 2019, the Modi government had changed the third language from Hindi in the draft of NEP and kept the option to select any Indian language of your choice. With this, now NEP provides the third language of your choice. You can also study Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam or Hindi. This is a 3-language policy.

What happened to DMK's campaign against NEET?

Annamalai also described the signature campaign launched earlier this month in support of NEP 2020 and the language policy as successful. He said that 26 lakh signatures have been received in 18 days. At the same time, taking a dig at DMK, Annamalai said that he has also started many signature campaigns. These include the campaign against NEET. Annamalai asked what happened to DMK's anti-NEET signature campaign, and how many people signed it... no one knows.

Stalin living in delusion - Annamalai

Further in his address, Annamalai made serious allegations against CM Stalin and his ministers and said that many DMK leaders are speaking ill about North Indians. This should not happen. CM Stalin is living in the delusion that his party will win more than 200 seats in the 2026 assembly elections in the state. But this will not happen.