Tamil Nadu Police on Thursday intervened to halt a BJP-led signature campaign in support of the National Education Policy (NEP), specifically advocating for the three-language policy. The campaign, led by former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, was disrupted in Chennai, sparking tensions between the ruling DMK and the opposition BJP.
Tamilisai Soundararajan, along with BJP State President K Annamalai and other party leaders, participated in the campaign, questioning the DMK’s opposition to the three-language policy under NEP. Soundararajan raised concerns over the lack of opportunity for children to study additional languages, arguing that such opportunities could open new job avenues for them.
In response to the police action, Annamalai took to X (formerly Twitter), claiming that Tamilisai Soundararajan had been “arrested” by the authorities. He vowed that the BJP would not back down from their stance on the issue. “The Tamil Nadu Police have arrested Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who was leading a signature campaign in support of the NEP,” Annamalai stated. He also criticized the DMK for “making Tamil a commercial language” over the past sixty years and allowing the three-language policy only in private schools.
Annamalai further alleged that the public was beginning to realize the “drama” of the DMK and its leadership, as there is growing support for the trilingual policy. “The DMK is being exposed today for their hypocrisy, and the public is backing the three-language policy,” Annamalai said.
Despite the arrests, Annamalai declared that the BJP would continue to push for the NEP’s implementation. “We will go to every house in Tamil Nadu. How many people can you arrest illegally, Chief Minister?” he wrote. He also reiterated that the NEP would provide quality education and language opportunities to children in government schools.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin strongly opposed the imposition of Hindi and defended Tamil’s rightful position in the state. He argued that demands for linguistic equality were not chauvinism, but that true chauvinism was when laws were written in a language that Tamils could not understand. Stalin also criticized the national government for overlooking Tamil Nadu’s contributions to the country and expressed concerns that the NEP could threaten national unity by imposing linguistic division.
The ongoing dispute over the three-language policy and the NEP highlights the growing divide between the state and central governments, with both sides firmly entrenched in their positions.
