Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has once again voiced strong opposition to what he calls the Centre’s persistent attempts to impose Hindi and Sanskrit through the National Education Policy (NEP). In a letter to his party members, Stalin stated, “Hindi is the mask, Sanskrit is the hidden face,” reinforcing his long-standing stance against linguistic hegemony. He argued that the three-language formula under the NEP is a disguised effort to prioritize Hindi and Sanskrit over regional languages, particularly Tamil. The ruling DMK has consistently accused the Union government of eroding linguistic diversity in North India, claiming that languages like Maithili, Brajbhasha, Bundelkhandi, and Awadhi have been sidelined due to Hindi dominance. Stalin credited the Dravidian movement for successfully safeguarding Tamil and its cultural heritage against similar threats in the past.
Further intensifying his critique, Stalin alleged that NEP’s implementation favors Sanskrit in multiple states, with BJP-ruled Rajasthan reportedly appointing Sanskrit teachers while neglecting Urdu instructors. He warned that if Tamil Nadu were to accept the trilingual policy, it would lead to the gradual sidelining of Tamil and an increased push for Sanskritisation. He also claimed that under NEP provisions, while Sanskrit is being actively promoted, other Indian languages like Tamil are only being considered for online education, a move he sees as deliberate marginalization. Countering the BJP’s assertion that students can opt for a foreign language under NEP’s three-language policy, he argued that, in practice, the emphasis remains on Hindi and Sanskrit, subtly diminishing the role of regional languages in education.
Stalin invoked the legacy of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, who had implemented the state’s two-language policy decades ago to prevent what he termed as the “imposition of Aryan culture through Hindi-Sanskrit.” He reiterated that Tamil Nadu will never accept any attempt to undermine its linguistic identity and cultural roots. The CM emphasized that his government remains committed to opposing any policy that dilutes the importance of Tamil and that they will continue their resistance against any form of linguistic imposition from the Centre.
