Subhechcha Ganguly 
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has intensified the ongoing language dispute with the Centre, following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s call for the state to “rise above politics.” Stalin reaffirmed Tamil Nadu’s commitment to its two-language policy and issued a stern warning to the Centre, cautioning against provoking the state by “throwing stones at a beehive.”
The escalation came after Pradhan criticized Stalin’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which opposed the linking of two central government schemes with the National Education Policy (NEP). Pradhan urged the CM to prioritize the interests of young learners over political concerns, while Stalin rejected the imposition of the NEP’s three-language policy, particularly the inclusion of Hindi.
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party has consistently opposed the NEP and its three-language policy, accusing the Centre of withholding state funds unless the policy is implemented. Stalin made it clear that his administration would not tolerate any actions harmful to the Tamil language or its people.
In response, Stalin criticized Pradhan for politicizing education, questioning whether the condition of implementing the trilingual policy to release funds was not political maneuvering. He also questioned the imposition of Hindi in the name of the NEP and accused the Centre of undermining India’s linguistic diversity.
Meanwhile, tensions between the Tamil Nadu BJP and the DMK-led government have also manifested in the “GetOutStalin” online campaign, launched by state BJP chief K Annamalai, targeting Stalin’s administration. This comes after Udhayanidhi Stalin suggested a potential ‘Get Out Modi’ campaign if attempts are made to infringe upon the rights of Tamil Nadu’s people.
