AIADMK MP Thambidurai criticises DMK's NEP stance, says Stalin using language issue for votes

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 25 (ANI): Amid a tussle between the Centre and Tamil Nadu government over the three-language policy, AIADMK MP M Thambidurai accused the ruling DMK government of using the language issue as a political tool ahead of elections.
Speaking to the media, the AIADMK MP criticised the state's stance on the New Education Policy (NEP), pointing out that the government allows CBSE schools, which include multiple languages, yet raises concerns over Hindi.
"The present state government is giving permission to many CBSE schools. Let Stalin insist on withdrawing all the CBSE schools in Tamil Nadu, then the language problem would be solved. There are all the languages in the CBSE schools, if they come then the National Education Policy comes. Why can't the ministers take a stand that there must be only two languages? You (the state government) have allowed CBSE schools. The Hindi language and the National Education Policy come with it," he said.
"DMK is part of that game. The elections are coming, so the language issue is coming up. Stalin is using sentiments to attract votes. The government is to give the facilities and welfare to the people. The language issue is coming up to divert from the issues," he added.
Thambidurai also exuded confidence in his party winning the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
"100% we are coming to power. No doubt. That is the mood of the people," he asserted.
On Monday, DMK cadres staged a protest near the Trichy central bus stand in Tiruchirappalli against the Trilingual Language System in Tamil Nadu.
The protest saw party members distributing pamphlets to raise awareness among the public about their opposition to the move.
Notably, the DMK has been vocal about protecting the Tamil language and resisting any efforts to make Hindi 'more dominant', arguing that it would undermine Tamil culture and identity.
Earlier, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson TKS Elangovan raised significant concerns over its implications on education in Tamil Nadu, accusing the central government of using the policy to "impose religious ideas on the education system."
As this happened, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai accused certain political parties of making "unnecessary controversy" and trying to divide the country on the basis of language, taking a veiled jibe at DMK which has alleged that the union government is trying to impose Hindi over non-Hindi speaking states.
"Some political parties still want to divide our country based on language. Mother tongue is important for everyone. Mahakavi Bharati called Tamil the greatest language after knowing more than 10 languages. So people should study more languages," Annamalai said. (ANI)