Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), April 6 Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday criticised Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for criticising Chief Minister M K Stalin over the language issue, stating that the state would never accept the three-language formula, but would follow the dual language policy of Tamil and English.
Claiming that the Centre was forcing Tamil Nadu to implement the National Education Policy, paving the way for imposing Hindi on the state, he said accepting the NEP would mean allowing the Centre to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu.
"We will never accept it. We will always follow the two-language policy of Tamil and English," Udhayanidhi said while campaigning for DMK candidate Durai Chandrasekaran in Thiruvaiyaru in the district.
He appealed to party members and the public to ensure an overwhelming victory for Chandrasekaran for the sixth time from Thiruvaiyaru. "I promise that I will take his case with CM Stalin and elevate him as a state minister if you make him emerge victorious in the April 23 election with a significant margin of 50,000 votes," he said as the crowd cheered.
Also, the DMK youth wing secretary assured to visit Thanjavur every month and meet the people if Chandrasekharan was made to win.
"We won seven out of eight assembly seats in Thanjavur district in the 2021 election. This time, we should ensure a 100% victory. Like former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and CM M K Stalin, I am also a (Cauvery) Delta man. So, if you send eight MLAs from this district, I will visit Thanjavur every month," he said.
Udhayanidhi criticised AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami for calling him "inexperienced" and said that he lacked Palaniswami's experience of "begging leaders for support."
