CHENNAI: PMK founder S Ramadoss requested the State government to mandate Tamil in schools and ensure Tamil as the medium of teaching in a tribute to the martyrs of language struggle. In a statement, the senior leader said that the government is marching in the opposite direction against the sacrifices of the martyrs. "Based on the demands of PMK, the government mandated Tamil in all state board schools in 2006. However, the government failed to extend the Act in 2015-16. There was a case about the Act in the Supreme Court for 2 years. Also, a case about mandating Tamil up to Class 5 is pending in the Court for 25 years. The government has not taken any steps to expedite the cases," he alleged.

Saying that the government can ensure the presence of Tamil in name boards within a week and can complete the cases within a few months, Ramadoss opined the government is paying tributes to the martyrs as a ceremony.