BJP and DMK Clash over Third Language Policy in Tamil Nadu amid NEP Debate

The debate over the potential imposition of a third language under the National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu has sparked intense political exchanges between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) alliance. The conflict intensified on Friday when Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to introduce engineering and medical education in Tamil within the state.

Shah's suggestion came after Stalin criticised the NEP, likening it to “an LKG student lecturing a PhD holder.” Stalin also claimed that Tamil Nadu had already achieved many of the policy's goals, well before the intended deadline of 2030. Addressing the language issue, Amit Shah defended the Narendra Modi government's efforts, highlighting recent changes that allow aspirants for the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) exams to take them in their regional languages, including Tamil. "Now the PM Narendra Modi government has ensured that the exam can be written in Tamil too,” said Shah urging Stalin to implement Tamil as the medium of instruction for engineering and medical courses, suggesting it would benefit local students.

In response, BJP state president K. Annamalai criticised Stalin for opposing the NEP and claimed that the BJP's pro-NEP signature campaign had received overwhelming support in Tamil Nadu. "Thiru MK Stalin, our online signature campaign through puthiyakalvi.in is supported by over 2 lakh people within 36 hours, and our on-ground signature campaign continues to receive an overwhelming reception across TN," Annamalai said on social media. He also mocked Stalin for failing to carry out a successful signature campaign against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), despite being in power.

Annamalai accused the DMK of using the Hindi imposition issue to divert attention. "Your fake Hindi imposition drama has already been exposed," he stated, urging Stalin to stop "swinging your paper word against the delusional Hindi imposition."

Stalin, in turn, dismissed the BJP's signature campaign as a "circus" and challenged the party to make the three-language policy a central issue in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. "I challenge them to make this their core agenda in the 2026 Assembly elections and let it be a referendum on Hindi imposition," Stalin wrote. He further claimed that Tamil Nadu had already met many of the NEP's goals and that the state would not tolerate any form of "Hindi colonialism." Stalin's comments reinforced his position that Tamil Nadu would not accept the imposition of Hindi, emphasising that those who attempted to do so in the past had either been defeated or eventually aligned with the DMK.​