DMK Vs BJP On NEP Again Ahead Of TN Polls, Annamalai Junks Stalin's Claim Of 'Hindi Imposition'

Last Updated:April 04, 2026, 11:47 IST

The three-language formula became the focal point of the debate between the centre and the Tamil Nadu government, with the latter alleging it pressures non-Hindi-speaking states.

BJP leader K Annamalai on Friday hit out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Chief MK Stalin over the three-language formula outlined under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

In a post on ‘X’, Annamalai argued the centre doesn’t intend to “impose" Hindi language on Tamil Nadu schools, calling the claims a “misguided narrative".

The three-language formula became the focal point of the debate between the centre and the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, with the latter alleging it pressures non-Hindi-speaking states.

The NDA-led centre, on the other hand, maintains that the policy promotes multi-lingualism.

“It has become Thiru @mkstalin avl’s habit to complain about something that is not even remotely close to the Central Government’s intentions. The CBSE in the secondary school curriculum (Part-1), released for the academic year 2026-27, states that three-language education shall be made compulsory from Grade 6 in the academic year 2026-27. And it is explicitly stated that two of these three languages must be native to India", Annamalai wrote.

Annamalai, a former BJP chief, stated all scheduled languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India are being offered, in addition in other Indian regional languages, as highlighted under NEP 2020.

“Where is the question of the imposition of Hindi in this? Last year, the CBSE placed particular emphasis on using the mother tongue or home language as the medium of instruction during the Foundational and Preparatory Stages of schooling", he said.

The BJP leader suggested CM Stalin he check about the three-language formula with his daughter, who runs a school under the CBSE school.

“Thiru@mkstalinavl should check with his daughter, who runs a CBSE school, whether she has begun imparting education in Tamil as the medium of instruction to students in the foundational stage at her school. He could also simultaneously check with his Ministers and key DMK functionaries who run CBSE schools across Tamil Nadu."

Describing the claims as a ‘misguided narrative’, he added, “One almost misses the days when your misguided narratives required at least some effort to unravel. Now, they seem to collapse under the lightest scrutiny."

‘Ill-Conceived Policy’ 

In a post on ‘X’, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin criticised the central government, asking if the Hindi-speaking states will be mandated to learn South Indian languages under the NEP 2020.

“The recently unveiled curriculum framework by the Central Board of Secondary Education, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, is not an innocent academic reform—it is a calculated and deeply concerning attempt at linguistic imposition that vindicates our long-standing apprehensions", he said.

Stalin alleges the policy is a part of a broader agenda to “impose" Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states.

“Under the guise of promoting “Indian languages," the BJP-led NDA government is aggressively advancing a centralising agenda that privileges Hindi while systematically marginalising India’s rich and diverse linguistic heritage. The so-called three-language formula is, in reality, a covert mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi speaking regions."

“For students in southern states, this framework effectively translates into compulsory Hindi learning. Yet, where is the reciprocity? Will students in Hindi-speaking states be mandated to learn Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam—or even languages like Bengali and Marathi? The complete absence of such clarity exposes the one-sided and discriminatory nature of this policy", Stalin argued.

The Chief Minister stressed the lack of infrastructure and resources to implement the three-language policy in the state, calling it an “ill-conceived" policy.

“Does the Union government have any understanding of ground realities—of teacher availability, training capacity, and infrastructure? Where are the qualified teachers to implement this sweeping exercise? And crucially, where is the funding to support this enormous burden on the education system? This appears to be yet another ill-conceived policy announced without planning, resources, or accountability", he said.

News politics DMK Vs BJP On NEP Again Ahead Of TN Polls, Annamalai Junks Stalin's Claim Of 'Hindi Imposition'

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