Stalin using 3-language formula as eyewash, should break alliance with Congress if sincere: AIADMK MP

New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI) AIADMK MP M Thambidurai on Wednesday attacked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over the new education policy row, saying if he is sincere about the two-language formula, he should break alliance with the Congress which first introduced teaching three languages.

The Rajya Sabha MP reiterated that his party is also against the three-language formula but accused Stalin of using the issue as an "eyewash" ahead of Assembly elections in the state due next year.

"As far as AIDAMK, we are in favour of the two-language formula. This is a long-standing issue... we are not for English but for Tamil to become official language. We won't accept imposition of Hindi and the Congress is the root cause for all the issues because the three-language formula was introduced by the Congress only," he told PTI Videos in the Parliament complex.

"If Stalin is sincere about the two-language formula and the state's interest, he has to come out from the Congress' alliance. Otherwise, he is only bringing these issues because elections are coming.

"His protest against the three-language formula is just an eyewash because people are against him, nobody likes him. Family domination is there, the cadre is not happy, the public is not happy, liquor issue raids are going on... he is going to face the same fate as Arvind Kejriwal, so to hide these issues he is playing up the two-language formula," he added.

The Tamil Nadu government and the Centre have been at loggerheads over the implementation of the new National Education Policy and the three-language formula proposed in the policy.

Tamil Nadu's refusal to implement key aspects of NEP 2020, particularly the three-language formula, has resulted in the Centre withholding Rs 573 crore in central education assistance under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

According to policy rules, states must comply with NEP guidelines to receive SSA funding, of which 60 per cent is provided by the Centre to states like Tamil Nadu.

Under the PM SHRI scheme, the state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the NEP 2020 and in return the Centre provides funds . PTI GJS RT