Better to learn Hindi to mingle easily: Naidu backs Centre amid DMK offensive
AP CM said that he would support learning not just three but 10 languages across universities in Andhra and stressed the need for multi-lingual education
Amid the massive row over the three-language policy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has strongly come out in support of the Central government saying that he advocates learning not just three but ten languages.
Talking to the media after meeting Union home minister Amit Shah, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Naidu emphasised the need for 'multi-lingual education' and said he would push for learning 10 languages across universities in his state.
“Not only three languages, I will promote multi-languages. We had to promote Telugu. We should also promote English as it is an international language for livelihood. It is better to learn Hindi, so that we can mingle with people easily," he replied, when asked about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's strong objections to the three-language formula mandated in the New Education Policy 2020.
Also read: Stalin takes fresh dig at BJP; says ‘demanding linguistic equality isn’t chauvinism’
DMK spearheads opposition against 3-language formula
The “language” issue escalated when Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that Tamil Nadu stands to lose funding under the Samagra Shiksha school education programme if it fails to implement the NEP and adopt its three-language rule. Stalin hit back saying that Tamils would not accept such "blackmail", and asked "which constitutional provision" made the three-language formula mandatory. According to the DMK,this formula is being pushed to sneakily impose Hindi and the Stalin-led party is determined to challenge this move by the Centre at any cost.
Also read: Telugu states never disliked Hindi; it’s partly politics, the rest is history
Means of communication
Meanwhile, Naidu said that “language is only a means of communication" and is not a barrier to communication. “All of you are aware that Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and other languages are shining globally...Knowledge is different, language is different.”
Further, the AP CM, who heads the Telugu Desam party that offers support to the ruling BJP at the Centre, added that while education in one’s mother tongue was a necessity, Hindi's role in national integration also needs to be acknowledged.
