CHENNAI: Accusing the ruling DMK government of hypocrisy and doublespeak on the issue of Hindi imposition, senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan on Sunday said it is the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, who is imposing Hindi, not the Centre-ruling BJP.
Addressing reporters after attending the introduction meeting of Chennai West BJP district president Baskar at Ambattur, Tamilisai argued that the DMK's opposition to the three-language policy was a mere facade, citing the status of many schools in Tamil Nadu, including those run by the first family, which already teaches three languages.
"The DMK's stance on the three-language policy is a classic case of doublespeak. On one hand, they claim to oppose the imposition of Hindi, but on the other hand, they have no qualms about teaching three languages, including Hindi, in schools affiliated to their party, " she said.
Tamilisai also questioned the DMK's motives, suggesting that the party's opposition to the three-language policy was driven by a desire to politicise the issue rather than a genuine concern for the welfare of Tamil Nadu's students.
"If the DMK is genuinely concerned about the welfare of Tamil Nadu's students, why are they opposing the three-language policy, which would enable students to learn an additional language and enhance their job prospects?" Tamilisai asked.
The former governor also took a swipe at actor-turned-politician Vijay, who had spoken out against the three-language policy.
"Vijay's films are released in multiple languages, including Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. If he can reap the benefits of a multilingual approach in his film career, why should he deny the same benefits to Tamil Nadu's students?" she asked.
Tamilisai emphasised that the BJP was not seeking to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu's students, but rather to provide them with the opportunity to learn an additional language that would enhance their job prospects.
"We are not imposing Hindi on anyone. We are simply saying that students should have the option to learn an additional language, which would open up new avenues for them in terms of education and employment, " she noted.
BJP state vice-president Karu Nagarajan and other leaders were present during the meeting.