Tamilisai Soundararajan Arrested During Signature Drive for Trilingual Education Policy
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On March 6, Tamilisai Soundararajan, a senior BJP leader, was detained by police in Chennai during a signature campaign for the NEP's controversial three-language policy. This incident sparked discussions on language education in Tamil Nadu amid political tensions.
Key Takeaways
- Tamilisai Soundararajan was detained while leading a campaign in MGR Nagar.
- The campaign aims to support the three-language policy of the NEP.
- The Tamil Nadu BJP unit, including K. Annamalai, participated.
- The DMK government opposes the NEP, fearing it promotes Sanskrit and Hindi.
- The debate continues as language policy remains a critical issue in Tamil Nadu.
Chennai, March 6 (NationPress) Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan was taken into custody by the Greater Chennai Police on Thursday while spearheading a signature campaign in MGR Nagar.
The situation escalated following a tense confrontation between police officials and BJP supporters.
The campaign aimed to gather backing for the disputed three-language policy associated with the National Education Policy (NEP).
The Tamil Nadu BJP faction initiated the signature collection, with state president K. Annamalai, Soundararajan, and various other prominent leaders in attendance.
This initiative has attracted participation from district and mandal presidents, transforming it into a significant movement.
Addressing the matter, Soundararajan challenged the state's resistance to the three-language policy, asserting that acquiring an additional language could unlock enhanced job and educational prospects for students.
She questioned: "Why are students in government institutions being deprived of the chance to learn another language that could improve their career opportunities?"
The senior BJP figure further remarked, "Private institutions are already implementing the three-language policy, yet the government maintains a two-language system in public schools."
She underscored that the BJP advocates for the NEP's consistent application across central board, state board, and government school assessments to guarantee equal chances for all students.
The Tamil Nadu government, under the leadership of Chief Minister and DMK President M. K. Stalin, has vocally opposed the NEP 2020, particularly its three-language framework.
The DMK has alleged that the policy is a maneuver by the Centre to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu.
In a communication to party members, CM Stalin reaffirmed his position, contending that Hindi is being utilized as a guise for promoting Sanskrit.
He asserted that numerous North Indian languages, including Maithili, Brajbhasha, Bundelkhandi, and Awadhi, have been eclipsed by Hindi, resulting in their decline.
The Chief Minister indicated that Tamil Nadu's opposition to the NEP is rooted in concerns that the policy favors Sanskrit and Hindi at the expense of regional languages.
He accused BJP-governed states of favoring Sanskrit over other Indian languages, citing Rajasthan's decision to hire Sanskrit teachers instead of Urdu instructors as an example.
"If Tamil Nadu endorses the trilingual policy, our mother tongue will ultimately be neglected, leading to a push towards Sanskritisation," CM Stalin cautioned.
He also alleged that under NEP provisions, Indian languages like Tamil would be pushed to online learning, while Sanskrit would receive heightened attention in schools. The ongoing debate regarding language policy remains a divisive topic in Tamil Nadu, with the ruling DMK resolute in opposing any efforts perceived as attempts to diminish the status of Tamil.
