Tamil Nadu Language Policy Sparks Parliament Debate

Congress MP K Suresh criticizes Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's parliamentary remarks on the three-language policy, asserting Tamil Nadu's preference for promoting Tamil over Hindi. Sitharaman accuses the DMK of politicizing the language issue and infringing children's rights to learn under the New Education Policy. A heated exchange ensues.

In a heated parliamentary session, Congress MP K Suresh condemned Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her comments regarding the three-language policy. Suresh called her accusations misleading, asserting that Tamil Nadu remains steadfast in promoting Tamil over Hindi.

Responding to Sitharaman's claims, which criticized the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) of creating a political crisis in Tamil Nadu, Suresh emphasized the state's clear opposition to Hindi imposition. Sitharaman argued that the New Education Policy supports learning in one's mother tongue and accused DMK of denying children's educational rights.

Sharing her personal experiences in Tamil Nadu, Sitharaman argued that students learning Hindi or Sanskrit face undue targeting. She defended Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's controversial remarks, describing them as a reflection of the uncivilized nature of the protests. The debate highlighted ongoing tensions over language policies in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)