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NEP row has escalated between Centre and Tamil Nadu government, with the latter alleging “imposition of Hindi” on the southern state. PM Modi has batted for education in all languages.
PM Modi bats for education in all languages (PTI Image)
Amid a political slugfest between the Centre and Tamil Nadu government over a three-language mandate in the National Education Policy (NEP), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Indian languages have never had any animosity among them as they “influence and enrich” one another.
His remarks, though were not in direct reference to the ongoing controversy, came at a time when the two governments are locking horns over the “imposition” of Hindi in the southern state.
PM Modi Bats For Education In All Languages
The Prime Minister, during his address at the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital, also underlined that India’s “shared linguistic heritage” provides a “strong counterargument” when efforts are made to “create divisions based on language”.
“There has never been any animosity among Indian languages. Languages have always influenced and enriched each other. It is our social responsibility to distance ourselves from these misconceptions and to embrace and enrich all languages. That is why today we are looking at all the languages of the country as mainstream languages,” PM Modi said.
He noted that his government was promoting education in all major languages of the country, including Marathi.
“We have changed the mindset that overlooked talent due to a lack of English proficiency. We all say that literature is the mirror of society. It also guides society’s direction. Therefore, literary conferences and institutions connected to literature play a very important role in the country,” he said.
Centre, Tamil Nadu Spar Over NEP
Central and Tamil Nadu have engaged in an open war of words over three language policy – Hindi, English and a regional language – listed in the NEP 2020, creating a controversy.
On Thursday, Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to PM Modi over the issue. His party DMK indicated that the Centre was asking Tamil Nadu to implement NEP consisting of the three-language policy involving Hindi as an exchange for the disbursal of the due share of central funds for the state.
In response to the letter to the Prime Minister, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday wrote to CM Stalin and asked the state government to “rise above politics” on the matter, drawing a sharp reaction from DMK. The regional party said that it would not budge from its two-language policy.
“The continued opposition to NEP 2020 for political reasons deprives students, teachers, and educational institutions in Tamil Nadu of the immense opportunities and resources that this policy offers. The policy is designed to be flexible, allowing states to customise its implementation to suit their unique educational needs,” Pradhan wrote in his letter.
Reacting to Pradhan’s comments, Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin said that the state will follow a two-language policy — Tamil and English.
The issue of “Hindi imposition” has been a controversial matter in the state where DMK, back in 1965, led a massive anti-Hindi agitation. Several pro-Tamil activists had self-immolated themselves against the alleged imposition of the language.
