Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) over its opposition to the three-language formula, stating that language should not be used to divide the nation. He alleged that some people are using language as a shield to cover up scams and corruption.
During his speech in the Rajya Sabha, while discutamil nssing the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shah criticized the Tamil Nadu government, stating that it lacks the courage to translate medical and engineering study materials into Tamil.
“I want to ensure that those trying to divide the country on the basis of language do not succeed. The Modi government has set up the Indian Languages Section to promote the use of all Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Assamese, and Bengali. Starting December, I will personally correspond with citizens, Chief Ministers, Ministers, and MPs in their respective languages,” he said.
Without directly naming DMK, Shah accused the party of using the language issue as a distraction from corruption scandals.
“This is a strong response to those who run their political shops in the name of language to cover up their corruption… How can we oppose the languages of the south? I am from Gujarat, Nirmala Sitharaman is from Tamil Nadu. What are they even saying?” he remarked.
Shah further declared that when an NDA government comes to power in Tamil Nadu, it will introduce medical and engineering courses in Tamil.
“We have been telling the Tamil Nadu government for two years to translate medical and engineering study materials into Tamil. But they haven’t done it. When NDA forms the government in Tamil Nadu, we will make sure these courses are available in Tamil,” he assured.
He also dismissed claims that Hindi is being imposed, asserting that Hindi is not competing with any Indian language but is a friend of all languages.
“Those who spread misinformation about language need to understand that while they appreciate foreign languages, they disregard Indian languages. Hindi does not compete with any Indian language; rather, all Indian languages strengthen each other,” he added.
Shah also vowed that the BJP would expose the DMK’s alleged corruption by engaging directly with the people in every village of Tamil Nadu.
The disagreement between the Central government and the Tamil Nadu government over implementing the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 remains a contentious issue.
Discussing governance, Shah highlighted the Inter-State Council’s role in resolving Centre-State issues.
- From 2004 to 2014, only 11 meetings of the Zonal Council were held, but since 2014, 27 meetings have taken place.
- The Standing Committee had 14 meetings between 2004 and 2014, whereas 33 meetings have been held since 2014.
- The NDA government resolved 1,280 issues in Zonal Council meetings, compared to 448 issues resolved during the previous government.
Shah also spoke about the Vibrant Village Programme, which aims to develop remote villages along India’s borders to prevent migration.
“Previously, these villages were called the ‘last villages,’ but under Modi’s vision, they are now called the ‘first villages.’ Over the next few years, they will also become the first in terms of development,” he said.
Under this scheme:
- 455 villages in Arunachal Pradesh
- 75 in Himachal Pradesh
- 51 in Uttarakhand
- 46 in Sikkim
- 35 in Ladakh
…have been adopted, with 90% funding from the Centre and 10% from state governments.
Discussing border security, Shah pointed out that 11 out of 12 land ports in India were established during the Modi government’s tenure. These land ports have facilitated:
- Trade worth ₹70,959 crore
- The movement of over 30 million passengers
The government also plans to establish a total of 26 land ports to boost trade and connectivity.
Shah praised the Padma Awards, stating that they are now being given to ordinary citizens who have dedicated their lives to improving society.
“These awards recognize true heroes who have brought real change to their communities and our country,” he concluded.
