Amid the three-language row, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin slammed the central government over the National Education Policy. As per the Tamil Nadu CM, the forced adoption of NEP 2020 and the Hindi language has "swallowed" 25 north Indian languages.
Taking to X, the DMK leader said - "The push for a monolithic Hindi identity is what kills ancient mother tongues. UP and Bihar were never just "Hindi heartlands. Their languages are now relics of the past."
For the past week, the Tamil Nadu government has been at loggerheads with the Centre over the implementation of the NEP 2020.
Under NEP 2020, all states must teach three languages in school - with Hindi being the third language.
However, many southern states, especially Tamil Nadu have objected to this "imposition" of the Hindi language.
The Tamil Nadu CM further stated that the notion of Hindu being a "unifying language" is a deliberate attempt to erase linguistic diversity.
"More than 25 north Indian native languages have been destroyed by the invasion of hegemonic Hindi-Sanskrit languages. The century-old Dravidian movement safeguarded Tamil and its culture because of the awareness it created and the various agitations," the ruling DMK chief said, adding that languages such Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, and Mundari, are "gasping for survival."
