NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday dismissed Chief Minister MK Stalin’s criticism of the three-language formula, labelling the "imposition" narrative a tired attempt to mask political failures.
Pradhan described the NEP 2020 as a "manifesto for linguistic liberation" that prioritises the mother tongue.
He argued that misrepresenting a flexible policy as compulsory Hindi denies youth the chance to become multilingual global leaders.
"Tamil will be enriched, not weakened, when its speakers become linguistically empowered," the Minister stated, adding that the policy addresses the limitations of the existing two-language system.
He accused the Tamil Nadu government of stalling the establishment of PM-SHRI schools by refusing to sign the required MoU.
This resistance, he claimed, is a disservice to underprivileged students who are being deprived of modern infrastructure and quality education.
Pradhan asserted that the Union government remains committed to funding and teacher training, but progress is being held back by "dishonest politics."
He urged the CM to stop using the Hindi imposition argument to hide administrative lapses and join the national mission of empowering all Indian languages.