You'll be kept as slaves: DMK MP Maran attacks Hindi-only education push

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has sharply criticised states that, he claimed, encourage students to study only Hindi while discouraging English education, linking such policies to poor employment prospects and migration to southern states.

Addressing an event, Maran alleged that students in some states are dissuaded from pursuing education and told to focus solely on Hindi.

“You are asked not to study English and are told you will be ruined if you do. You will be kept as slaves,” he said, remarks that could once again reignite the debate over Hindi imposition.

Maran attributed the movement of people from northern states to the south to these educational practices, arguing that Tamil Nadu’s emphasis on education has driven its economic growth.

“Today, all the top global companies are coming to Tamil Nadu because of educated people,” he said.

He claimed that restricting education to Hindi alone contributes to unemployment in other regions, while Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian model promotes equal access to education for both girls and boys.

This, he said, has led to higher literacy levels and greater workforce participation among women in the state.

Maran further argued that discouraging English education limits students’ opportunities and future prospects, adding that language-based restrictions act as barriers to growth and employment.

His remarks come amid ongoing national debates over language policy and education in India.

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