Chennai: “We really got shocked and disappointed about your statement that the three-language formula is ‘saddening and painful’. However, it is not clear for whom it is really saddening and painful,” said E Balagurusamy, former Vice Chancellor of Anna University, in a letter to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Welcoming National Educational Policy and opposing the State government’s stand, he said, “Although National Education Policy (NEP) does not insist on learning a particular language, learning a widely spoken language like Hindi provides our youth numerous benefits.”
He added: “It helps to promote patriotism, national harmony, unity and integration, add value and strength to one’s personality, facilitate the mobility across states for employment, trade and business, promote goodwill among people and states, satisfy the needs of people joining central civil and defense and services and facilitate people joining multinational companies with multi-locations in the country.”
“You are very well aware that the children and grandchildren of the leaders who oppose the three-language formula are all studying or have studied Hindi happily. Sir, why this dichotomy? How can a government deny its own students to learn what they want? Is it because they happen to be poor and choose to join government schools?” Balagurusamy, who was handpicked by the then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to head Anna University, said.
He urged people in Tamilnadu to not fall prey to “false propaganda by certain sections of the society” against the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Stating that many politicians quote former Chief Minister CN Annadurai while advocating the two-language formula, he said, “Since then, much water has flown under the bridge…Given the present scenario, a visionary leader and a rational thinker like Annadurai would have certainly changed his view, had he been alive today.”