Sankarankovil, April 4 Chief Minister MK Stalin accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of causing delays in the distribution of cooking gas cylinders and claimed that people are asking, "Where is the LPG, Modi ji?" and questioned whether the PM has any answers.
Addressing a rally here, Stalin challenged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, PM Modi, and Amit Shah, asking whether the NDA has the courage to declare during their election campaign that they would implement the 3-language policy in Tamil Nadu.
Stalin stated that the people should give a resounding defeat to the alliance formed by the AIADMK, which had led Tamil Nadu to decline in every field during its ten-year rule, and the BJP, which is driving the country towards unprecedented decline. He said the NDA's "double engine" is nothing but a "failed engine" and should not be allowed to operate in Tamil Nadu.
Stalin referred to issues like demonetisation and the oxygen shortage during the coronavirus pandemic and alleged, "Now, the prime minister is causing delays in distributing cooking gas cylinders. People are asking Modi ji where is the LPG? Does the PM have any answers?"
Alleging rising prices of petrol and cooking gas cylinders, the chief minister asked what answer the prime minister would give to restaurants that have been forced to close and to families who have lost their livelihoods. Will AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami have the courage to raise his voice against these issues?
The chief minister referred to his earlier statement opposing the 3-language policy in the CBSE curriculum framework and said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan responded within hours. In his response, the central minister claimed, "We are hindering the improvement of education."
The CM asked, "What is the connection between accepting the imposition of Hindi and the quality of education? Furthermore, Stalin alleged that Dharmendra Pradhan has not released education funds to this day, because "we have not accepted Hindi imposition."
Stalin said, "I challenge Pradhan, PM Modi and Amit Shah. When you campaign in Tamil Nadu, will you have the courage to say that you will implement the 3-language policy in Tamil Nadu?" He asked whether AIADMK chief Palaniswami, if he had a sense of honour, could persuade Pradhan to withdraw his statement on the 3-language policy.
On April 4, Stalin, referring to the CBSE's recently unveiled curriculum framework, stated in a statement that the "so-called three-language formula" is actually a "covert" mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi-speaking regions.
Stalin alleged that the CBSE's curriculum framework, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, was not an innocent academic reform. It was a calculated and deeply concerning attempt at linguistic imposition that vindicates our long-standing apprehensions.
Reacting within hours, Pradhan said Stalin's narrative of "imposition" is a tired attempt to mask political failures. "The National Education Policy 2020 is, in fact, a manifesto for linguistic liberation. It prioritises the mother tongue so every Tamil child can excel in their own glorious language. By misrepresenting a flexible policy as “compulsory Hindi”, you are not defending Tamil; you are creating barriers that deny our youth the opportunity to become multilingual global leaders. Portraying multilingualism as a threat is misplaced. Tamil is not weakened by the learning of additional languages; it is enriched when its speakers are multilingual, confident and linguistically empowered.
NEP upholds constitutional principles by promoting all languages equally and also addresses the limitations of the existing two-language system. It further focuses on implementation through initiatives such as Samagra Shiksha, teacher training, and strengthening institutions, like DIETs, along with national frameworks, such as NPST and NMM.
Responding to this remark of Pradhan, Stalin alleged, "Your remarks are deeply irresponsible and reckless, and reflect an entrenched disregard for India’s plurality, federal values, and respect for states. Tamil Nadu firmly rejects the 3-language policy. This is not about opposing languages, but about resisting imposition and defending Constitutional rights. Your earlier disparaging remarks about Tamils in Parliament, followed by a belated apology, only underscore a pattern of conduct that is unacceptable."
The claim that there is “no Hindi imposition” is plainly dishonest. When a policy structurally corners non-Hindi-speaking states like Tamil Nadu into adopting a third language with little real choice, and when crucial education funding is tied to compliance, it ceases to be a matter of choice.
It is nothing short of audacity to illegally withhold a humongous sum of Rs 2,200 crore under the 'Samagra Shiksha' Scheme, effectively penalising Tamil Nadu for refusing to accept Hindi imposition.
"These are not discretionary grants, but funds that rightfully belong to the people of Tamil Nadu, collected through taxes, and cannot be weaponised as a tool of coercion. Let me also be clear. Tamil Nadu will not accept language imposition under any circumstances, whether disguised as flexibility, backed by financial pressure, or projected as national interest."