A huge controversy broke out in Tamil Nadu on Saturday over the three-language formula with political parties warning of a language war over "attempts" to impose Hindi even as the Centre stepped in to say that there was no intention to impose any language on anyone.
A huge controversy broke out in Tamil Nadu on Saturday over the three-language formula with political parties warning of a language war over "attempts" to impose Hindi even as the Centre stepped in to say that there was no intention to impose any language on anyone.
Leaders cutting across party lines in the state said the state has a history on the language issue and would not tolerate any imposition.
In the draft National Education Policy 2019, the three-language formula recommends inclusion of English and Hindi besides mother tongue in non-Hindi speaking states, while Hindi speaking states should include English and one Indian language from other parts of the country.
As the controversy snowballed, the Centre dismissed apprehensions on the issue and said there was no move to impose any language on anyone.
"Only a report has been submitted on the new education policy. Government has not taken any decision on it. It has not even considered it and therefore the misunderstanding that the government has decided on the new education policy is not true."
"After we will get the public feedback, then only it will come up before the government. More importantly, the Modi government has always promoted all Indian languages and therefore there is no case of or intention of imposing any language on anybody. We want to promote all Indian languages," Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told the media.
"It is a draft prepared by the committee on which a decision will be taken only after we get the public feedback," he said.
1. Tamil parties cry foul
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DMK president MK Stalin said that the BJP government at the Centre should not even think in their dreams about the three language policy and warned that such "greedy" things will cause them disaster.
"The BJP government should not even think about the three-language policy in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, having a two-language policy is like honeycomb and BJP is trying to throw a stone at it by inflicting a three-language policy again. BJP should not even think about it in their dreams. Such greedy and wrong thing will cause them disaster," he said.
The comments came in the wake of the draft education policy prepared by the Kasturirangan Committee, released yesterday, which spoke of continuation of the three language formula in the schools.
TNCC president K S Alagiri said people of Tamil Nadu will not allow the imposition of Hindi in the state. He said Congress was not opposed to any language and it was up to the students to learn any language of their choice.
MDMK president Vaiko warned that a language war will break out if any attempt is made to impose language in Tamil Nadu while a rebel AIADMK leader T T V Dinakaran said any such proposal would destroy Indian's pluralism and make Tamils second class citizens.
Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan said, "I have acted in many Hindi films. However, in my opinion, Hindi should not be imposed on anyone."
2. HRD Minister weighs in
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After a controversy broke out in Tamil Nadu over the three-language formula, Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Saturday said that no language would be imposed on any state.
"The committee was formed for drafting New Education Policy. That committee has given its report. The report of the committee is only received by the Ministry. That's not the policy. No language will be imposed on any state," HRD Minister Pokhriyal told ANI.
"We have received the draft report to take suggestions from the people. Somewhere this misunderstanding has happened. People think that this has become policy," he added.
"Secondly, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our government have decided that we will respect all Indian languages with full power and develop them. There shouldn't be any controversy over this matter," he said.
3. Shashi Tharoor on three-language formula
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Congress MP and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said the solution to the three-language formula is not by abandoning the idea but ensure its better implementation.
"The solution is not to abandon the three languages formula but to implement it in a better manner," said Tharoor when asked to comment on the new draft policy of National Education, which recommends among other things three languages formula in schools.
Tharoor said that the three-language formula goes back to mid-1960s but it was never properly implemented. "Most of us in the South learn Hindi as a second language but nobody in the North is learning Malayalam or Tamil," he said.
4. Linguistic chauvinism: CPI(M)
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In the wake of a controversy over the draft National Education Policy recommending to teach Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states, the CPI(M) Sunday said such forcible imposition will lead to feelings of "linguistic chauvinism" detrimental for the unity of the country.
The draft of the new National Education Policy (NEP)- proposed by a panel constituted by Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar during his previous term under the Modi government - was released on Friday and it suggested imposition of a three-language formula. In a statement, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said, "The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) is unequivocally opposed to the imposition of the three-language formula from primary level of school education as proposed in the Draft National Education Policy released by the HRD ministry." The party said it is of the "firm opinion" that the "opposition is not to any particular language but for ensuring the opportunity for all Indian languages to develop and thrive".
5. ‘Study, analyse and debate’: VP Naidu
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Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday appealed to people to study, analyse and debate the Draft New Education Policy and not to come to hasty conclusions.
Noting that core issues of education were very important and deserve the attention of all stakeholders, he said reducing the load of school bags, promoting sports, inculcating morals, scientificand rationale temperament, history among others should become part of the curriculum.
His comments come in the backdrop of a controversy over the recommendation of a HRD ministry panel to teach Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
The draft of the new National Education Policy, proposed by the panel constituted by Prakash Javadekar when he was HRD minister in the previous Modi
6. New EAM weighs in
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Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the Central government "respects all languages" and "no language will be imposed," while stating that all stakeholders - general public and state governments - would be consulted before taking a final call on the three-language norm.
"The National Education Policy as submitted to the Minister HRD is only a draft report. Feedback shall be obtained from the general public. State governments will be consulted. Only after this, the draft report will be finalised. GoI respects all languages. No language will be imposed," said Jaishankar in a tweet.
In another tweet in Tamil, Jaishankar said: "It is only after the recommendation of the people, the Union government will take forward the Education Draft policy. The government will promote all Indian languages. There is no intention of the government to impose any language in any part of the country."
Education Secretary R Subrahmanyam on Saturday had also clarified that no policy decision has been taken by the Central government yet and there would be no "imposition of any language in educational institutions."
"This is a draft policy submitted by the committee and is placed for the views of the general public. It is not the policy announced by the government. After getting feedback from the general public, and after consulting State governments, the National Educational Policy will be finalised by the government," Subrahmanyam had said in a tweet.
"The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed for equal development and promotion of all Indian languages. There will be no imposition of any language in educational institutions, nor discriminations against any language," he had added.
