"Tamil Nadu 40 Years Ahead Of North States": MDMK MP On Language Row

Amid the language row in Parliament, a Tamil Nadu MP has said the "northern states are 40 years behind" the southern state, and that people from Tamil Nadu dominate almost all spheres because of a two-language formula.

Durai Vaiko, MP from Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and son of party chief Vaiko, recounted a meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Mr Vaiko had accompanied Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who urged the Union Minister to release funds under the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.

The Union Education Minister then said Tamil Nadu has to sign the National Education Policy, which lays down a three-language policy. "Our education minister said Tamil Nadu has excelled in PM SHRI scheme, so we are supposed to get funds. Why are you tying it up with NEP. He (Pradhan) said, 'Tamil Nadu is 40 years behind and you people should wake up, why are u not letting students learn Hindi?'"

Mr Vaiko said when he got the opportunity to speak, he told the minister, "Tamil Nadu is not 40 years behind. Compared to northern states, we are 40 years ahead."

The MDMK leader said political parties from Tamil Nadu, except the BJP, have been stressing that they won't accept a three-language policy. "Since the NEP insists on a three-language formula, we have suggested certain changes. If they bring in the changes, we don't mind signing it," he said.

Mr Vaiko, who represents Tiruchirapalli in Lok Sabha, stressed that Tamil Nadu parties are not against Hindi. "Hindi Pracharak Sabha has been functioning in Chennai for 60-70 years. but we don't want imposition of Hindi," he said.

He batted for English and said it was a means of communicating with the people and India needs to master it as it pushes to become the third largest economy in the world.

"For people of South (India), English has been a means of progress. Tamilians dominate worldwide, across sectors, be it IT or medical science. They are dominating because of English proficiency and how did we get there: because of a two-language policy," he said.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu and the Centre are locked in a face-off over the National Education Policy and the three-language formula.

Union Education Minister Pradhan has accused the MK Stalin government of creating "fear psychosis" about the three-language formula while doing little to promote Tamil in the state.

The minister said that while students in Tamil Nadu are increasingly opting for English, the DMK government is questioning the need for a three-language formula. "Nobody is imposing anything on anyone. This is a democratic society and the order of the time is you have to be multilingual," Pradhan said. "Opposition to NEP 2020 has nothing to do with the preservation of Tamil pride, language and culture but everything to do with gaining political dividends."