'Don't need compulsory third language': Congress' Karti Chidambaram backs MK Stalin on three-language policy row

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Friday stated that Tamil Nadu is well served with its two-language curriculum (Tamil and English) and it does not need a compulsory third language under the three-language policy.

He also warned and said Tamil Nadu accepts Hindi as the third language, the BJP government would eventually claim a shortage of Hindi teachers in the state, which would result in a surge of non-native speakers being hired in Tamil Nadu's government schools.

Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said, "Tamil Nadu is well served with a two-language (Tamil and English) formula curriculum... We don't need a compulsory third language... Whenever they (BJP) talk about a third language, it is only Hindi imposition, which Tamil Nadu will never accept. There is complete unanimity between political parties and all sections of Tamil Nadu society on this."


Further he added, "English connects us to the world of science and commerce... If we accept the third language as Hindi, the BJP government, in its devious manner, will suggest that there are not enough Hindi teachers in Tamil Nadu... and soon, many non-native speakers will be working in our government schools. BJP's hidden agenda is to distort our cultural history..."

He emphasized that Tamil Nadu's current two-language formula, Tamil and English, is sufficient for the state's educational needs. He firmly opposed the imposition of Hindi, stating that it would not be accepted in Tamil Nadu.

He added, "There is complete unanimity between political parties and all sections of Tamil Nadu society on this issue."

He further explained that while English connects Tamil Nadu to global science and commerce, the introduction of Hindi would only serve the BJP's hidden agenda to distort the state's cultural history.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore also slammed BJP's NEP signature campaign alleging that BJP was anti-Tamil Nadu.

"BJP workers are stopping school children, offering them biscuits, and pleading with them to sign a paper on the language issue. This desperation shows that BJP can never truly connect with Tamil Nadu. It has always been anti-Tamil Nadu, and such deceitful tactics will not work."

Earlier, amid the ongoing war of words over allegations of imposing the National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Stalin lashed out at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and stated that he faced the consequences of reviving a fight he would never win.

CM Stalin said, "The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside." It was the Union Education Minister who provoked us to write this series of letters when we were simply doing our job. He forgot his place and dared to threaten an entire state to accept #HindiImposition, and now he faces the consequences of reviving a fight he can never win. Tamil Nadu will not be blackmailed into surrendering."

"The biggest irony is that Tamil Nadu, which rejects NEP, has already achieved many of its goals, which the policy aims to reach only by 2030. This is like an LKG student lecturing a PhD holder. Dravidam does not take dictations from Delhi. Instead, it sets the course for the nation to follow," he further said.