Panneerselvam opposes Union Education Minister’s stance on language formula

The ADMK Workers’ Rights Retrieval Committee’s coordinator O. Panneerselvam, an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre, on Monday came out against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s observations on the language formula issue.

The ADMK Workers’ Rights Retrieval Committee’s coordinator O. Panneerselvam, an ally of the ruling BJP at the Centre, on Monday (February 17, 2025) came out against Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s observations on the language formula issue.

In a statement, Mr. Panneerselvam, always known for taking a pro-BJP stance, said that Mr. Pradhan’s remarks amounted to imposition of Hindi and that it was “unacceptable.” He recalled how the State Assembly, in January 1968, adopted a resolution scrapping the use of Hindi in school education and favouring the use of two languages — Tamil and English — when the DMK’s founder and former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai was in power.

This was continued by the AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran and his successor Jayalalithaa, both former Chief Ministers.

Mr. Panneerselvam requested the Union government not to insist on the use of the three-language formula, including Hindi, for the release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.

Only a few days ago, the president of the State unit of the BJP contended there was no point sticking to the two-language policy and described it as “outdated.”

In another statement, Mr. Panneerselvam, also a former Chief Minister, expressed concern over the law and order situation in the State, in light of recent incidents of assault in Mayiladuthurai and Ambattur.