CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s newly formed TVK government reaffirmed its commitment to the state’s traditional two-language policy, with School Education Minister Rajmohan declaring on Tuesday that there would be “no compromise” on this core ideological stance.
Confirming continued resistance to the central government’s three-language system, Rajmohan also asserted that the state will not give in to indirect pressure to implement the PM SHRI school scheme in the state.
Speaking about the union government withholding the Samagra Shiksha funds to Tamil Nadu for the past two years, the minister said the move was unacceptable. “This is money meant for students, not for government officials or us. It should not be stopped for any reason,” he said.
Asked whether the PM SHRI scheme would be implemented in the state, Rajmohan ruled out the possibility and reiterated the party’s stand on language policy.
“Just as women’s rights and land rights are fundamental principles of TVK, the two-language policy is also one of our proclaimed policies. We will not bow to any indirect pressure,” he said.
Invoking Singapore’s development model, Rajmohan said even former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew chose English as the language to connect with the world while building the nation from scratch. “English is enough. There will be no compromise on our ideology,” he added.
The minister’s earlier remark that he would “look into it” when asked about the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme had sparked speculation about whether the new government was reconsidering its stand.
Rajmohan’s remark on Tuesday has gained significance as the union government has linked the release of Samagra Shiksha funds to the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme. As a result, over `3,500 crore due to Tamil Nadu for 2024-25 and 2025-26 remains pending from the centre.
Meanwhile, the minister distributed handbooks for teachers handling classes 1 to 3, for which new textbooks were recently introduced, and inaugurated the state-level training programme for teachers.
‘Will hold talks with teachers to find a win-win situation’
He said discussions were also held on improving basic infrastructure in schools, including toilets and drinking water facilities.
Responding to questions on teachers’ protests, Rajmohan said many of their demands were pending either due to court cases or at various levels within the department. “We will hold talks with them and work towards a win-win situation for everyone,” he said.
This story is reported by Subashini Vijayakumar