Jhargram (West Bengal) [India], April 5 : Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin of politicising the language debate, clarifying that the National Education Policy (NEP) does not impose Hindi, emphasising that students will continue to learn their mother tongue while also having the option to choose an additional Indian language.
"MK Stalin is doing politics. The National Education Policy nowhere says that only Hindi will be taught. Whichever state's resident one is, the mother tongue of that state will be taught there. In addition, they have to take one more Indian language; this is up to the students. They just want to create fear. No language is being imposed on anyone in any scheme," Pradhan told ANI.
The remarks follow a sharp rebuttal from Stalin on Saturday, who called Pradhan's comments "deeply irresponsible" and accused the Union Government of "weaponising" education funds to coerce states into implementing the three-language policy.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister highlighted that the Centre has allegedly withheld Rs 2,200 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, which he claimed was done to pressure the state into implementing the three-language policy.
Stalin argued that linking crucial education funding to compliance undermines the principle of choice for non-Hindi-speaking states. He emphasised Tamil Nadu's commitment to its two-language policy, which he said has delivered strong educational outcomes in science, technology, and medicine. The Chief Minister also reiterated that opposition to Hindi imposition is rooted in preserving India's linguistic diversity and the dignity of the Tamil language.
The Chief Minister concluded by challenging the Union Minister to advocate for the compulsory three-language policy on Tamil Nadu soil while seeking votes. He also called upon AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to clarify his stand on the issue.
"I also call upon AIADMK General Secretary Thiru. Palaniswami and his NDA allies to clearly state their position. Do they support this aggressively pushed three-language policy of the BJP?" he asked.
"It is time for Thiru Palaniswami to make his stand unequivocally clear, whether he stands with the people of Tamil Nadu or with his Delhi bosses who seek to impose Hindi under the guise of policy," Stalin stated.
Responding on Sunday, Pradhan accused Stalin and the DMK government of using the "Hindi imposition" narrative as a "facade" to mask administrative failures and deprive students of educational equity.
The Union Education Minister also appealed to the people of West Bengal to vote decisively against corruption, nepotism and what he described as an oppressive system ahead of the state elections.
"This time, the people of Bengal are contesting the election. This time, the people are going to cast a decisive vote against corruption, nepotism, and the oppressive system... A fear-free, women-oppression-free Bengal is needed. Here, the government is not for the people, but for its own interests," he said.
He further added, "Are Suvendu Adhikari, Samik Bhattacharya, and Dilip Ghosh outsiders? The people of Bengal have made up their minds this time; we will get a full majority."
West Bengal Assembly will go to polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
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