March 1, 2025: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a fierce attack on the BJP-led central government over multiple issues, including the National Education Policy (NEP), delimitation, and cyclone relief funds. Addressing a public gathering in Chennai on Friday, Stalin reiterated his strong opposition to the three-language policy mandated under NEP, making it clear that no amount of pressure or threats from the Centre would force Tamil Nadu to adopt it.
Accusing the BJP of using NEP as a tool to impose Hindi in the state, Stalin said that Tamil Nadu has flourished under its existing two-language policy. He claimed that the Centre had withheld funds as a consequence of the state’s refusal to implement the policy. Expressing his firm stand against the imposition of Hindi, he declared that Tamil Nadu was content with Tamil and English for communication purposes and sarcastically added that if needed, they could even learn Greek and Latin but would not accept Hindi being forced upon them.
Stalin also took a dig at Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who had urged him to rise above politics and prioritize student welfare. Hitting back, Stalin questioned the Centre’s credibility in handling education-related matters, stating that it had failed to conduct a malpractice-free NEET examination. He accused Pradhan of lacking integrity, remarking that although his name carried “Dharmendra,” there was no “Dharma” in his actions.
Another point of contention in Stalin’s speech was the Centre’s alleged neglect of Tamil Nadu’s needs in the aftermath of Cyclone Fengal in 2024. He criticized the BJP government for denying financial assistance for relief and rehabilitation, stating that the party was unable to accept Tamil Nadu’s success and was deliberately working against the state's interests.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also warned against the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, which he claimed was aimed at reducing the state's representation in Parliament. He argued that Tamil Nadu was being unfairly punished for successfully implementing family planning programs while states with larger populations stood to gain from the changes. Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the matter, he demanded an assurance similar to the one given by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that Tamil Nadu’s parliamentary strength would not be reduced.
Calling for unity among political parties in the state, Stalin announced that he had invited all parties, including AIADMK and BJP, to discuss the delimitation issue in an all-party meeting. He confirmed that AIADMK had agreed to participate, but criticized the BJP’s reluctance, stating that such political maneuvering was detrimental to Tamil Nadu’s future. He urged the BJP to stand with the state instead of playing divisive politics, emphasizing that Tamil Nadu needed to present a united front against any attempt to undermine its voice in national politics.
Concluding his speech, Stalin reflected on the 2021 Assembly elections and asserted that Tamil Nadu had avoided a disastrous fate by voting against the AIADMK-BJP alliance. He claimed that if the alliance had come to power, the state would have suffered immensely and fallen behind in terms of development.