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'No Language Will Be Imposed': Ministers Jaishankar, Nirmala Sitharaman Tweet Assurance In Tamil

The comments come in the backdrop of a controversy over the recommendation of a HRD ministry panel to teach Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
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NEW DELHI — Following outrage in Tamil Nadu over a draft education policy favouring teaching Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking states, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Sunday said state governments will be consulted before a final decision is taken on the issue.

Jaishankar’s response came after a Twitter user posted a query to him on the issue.

“The National Education Policy as submitted to the Minister HRD is only a draft report. Feedback shall be obtained from general public. State Governments will be consulted. Only after this the draft report will be finalised. GoI respects all languages. No language will be imposed,” Jaishankar tweeted.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also tweeted an assurance that the draft report of the Education Committee would be implemented only after public hearings. She also said the Union government would support the development of Tamil.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday appealed to people to study, analyse and debate the Draft New Education Policy and not to come to hasty conclusions.

Noting that core issues of education were very important and deserve the attention of all stakeholders, he said reducing the load of school bags, promoting sports, inculcating morals, scientific and rationale temperament, history among others should become part of the curriculum.

The comments come in the backdrop of a controversy over the recommendation of a HRD ministry panel to teach Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states. The draft national education policy recommends a range of reform measures and favoured teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.

The recommendations relating to teaching of Hindi drew sharp reactions from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam.

Former HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, who is now minister for information and broadcasting in the second Modi government, Saturday said a committee had prepared a draft report on the education policy and that no decision has been taken on implementing it.

(With PTI inputs)

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