Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin used X to criticize the state’s Governor for claiming that Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy stops youth from learning North Indian languages. Stalin questioned why the North Indian state doesn’t teach the South Indian language in their schools. Stalin argued that technology, particularly tools like Google Translate, ChatGPT, and Artificial Intelligence, has made it easier for people to overcome language barriers.

He emphasized that students should focus on mastering the necessary technological skills rather than being burdened by the compulsory learning of languages.

Imposing a language on students will only weigh them down. Technology can bridge these gaps, so why not encourage students to learn useful technologies instead?

MK Stalin

Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s belief in fostering national unity through the learning of languages, Stalin recalled how Gandhi had advocated for the people of southern states to learn Hindi and for those in northern states to learn one of the southern languages.

The Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha (DBHPS), founded by Gandhi in 1918 to promote Hindi in southern India, was mentioned by Stalin as an institution that, according to Gandhis vision, would bring people closer together. The DBHPS is now operational across the southern states with over 6,000 centers, Stalin noted.

However, the Tamil Nadu CM pointed out that no such institution or initiative exists in northern India to promote the learning of southern languages. He suggested that organizations like an “Uttar Bharat Tamil Prachar Sabha” or “Dravida Basha Sabha” could be set up in the north to help northern states learn southern languages.

Referring to a social media post by former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, greeting him on his 72nd birthday in three languages including Telugu, Stalin said, She (Tamilisai) did not learn Telugu from school. Since she worked in a Telugu-speaking state, she would have learnt it by practice. This shows the stand of Dravidian movement that there is no necessity to learn a third language (mandatorily from an early age). If necessary, anybody can learn and employ any language.

Centre’s stance on NEP:

On the other side of the debate, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clarified the government’s intentions behind the NEPs three-language policy arguing that it is designed to promote all Indian languages.