The language row that erupted in the south ahead of an election year, has reached the Supreme Court. A lawyer and state BJP legal cell head has filed a petition asked for an order to implement the National Education Policy with its three-language curriculum in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.

In the petition, advocate GS Mani, who happens to be from Tamil Nadu, the epicentre of the row, has contended that the National Education Policy aims to improve the quality of school education for students from all walks of life. The state governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal are refusing to accept this plan for political reasons, citing the false reason of imposing Hindi, he contended. 

Last week, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took on the Centre’s New Education Policy, claiming the push for the three-language formula is yet another attempt to impose Hindi on the southern states. It was linked to delimitation, which, he said, was the political equivalent to the attempted cultural domination.

Declaring that imposition of Hindi is the death knell to the cultural ethos of a non-Hindi-speaking state, Mr Stalin said he is ready for a “language war”. 

The BJP contends that the three-language policy is the need of the hour and the ruling DMK is merely using it to push its political agenda. 

Ahead of the election, it has become a hot-button issue on which most non-BJP parties are on the same side. The civil society has pitched in, with many rooting for the existing two-language policy.

The Centre’s three-language policy has never been accepted in Tamil Nadu since the days of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. The state has been following a two-language policy, teaching Tamil and English in schools. 

The matter escalated as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan made it clear that Tamil Nadu will not receive funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme unless it fully implements the National Education Policy 2020.