Chennai:

The ruling AIADMK in the state  rejected the Centre's three-language formula proposed in the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and said there will be no deviation from the existing system. "The three-language formula in the NEP is painful and saddening. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) should reconsider the three-language policy," Palaniswami said. Taking strong exception to the proposal, he said in a statement the state has been following the two-language policy for several decades and that there will be no change in it.

Tgis was the  opposition demand, including  DMK, that the government should reject the three-language formula proposed in NEP and stick to its two-language policy.

Incidentally, ahead of today's meeting, he convened to discuss the matter with his senior cabinet colleagues, the Opposition bloc led by DMK wrote to the chief minister, asking him to adopt a Cabinet resolution against the new NEP.

"Tamil Nadu will never allow the Centre's three-language formula. The state will continue with its dual language policy (of Tamil and English)," Palaniswami said.

Teaching up to class 5 in mother tongue or regional language and lowering the stakes of board exams are part of the sweeping reforms in the new NEP unveiled last week by the Centre. MK Stalin, dubbed it as an attempt to "impose" Hindi and Sanskrit.

The anti-Hindi movement of the 1960s taken forward by the DMK had struck an instant chord among the Tamil masses then and is believed to be one of the key reasons for the Dravidian party storming to power in the 1967 elections under the late CN Annadurai, unseating a Congress government in the state for the first time in post-independent India.

Palaniswami further said the state has been maintaining a consistent stand and that for about 80 years, the people of Tamil Nadu had been firm on two language policy. Late chief ministers Annadurai, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa were firmly against 'imposition' of Hindi.

Meanwhile, the Opposition DMK led the alliance in Tamil Nadu--comprising the Congress, MDMK, VCK, CPM, CPI and MMK, collectively wrote a letter to Palaniswami asking him to pass a resolution against the new NEP in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet meeting.

Many clauses in the new policy are trying to impose "Hindi" and "Sanskrit" and are "trying to do away with Tamil from the system, and this is against federalism, women rights and social justice. It was also "imposing" Vedic culture, besides being mum on the reservation, it said.

 Sanskrit will be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students, including in the three-language formula.

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