Signature drive on 3-language policy will shape TN's fate: BJP's Annamalai

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Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai asserted that the party's signature campaign promoting the three-language policy would transform the fate of Tamil people. He announced that the BJP aims to collect one crore signatures by May 31 as part of the initiative.

"The signature campaign advocating three-language policy organised by BJP will change the fate of every Tamil person. We have fixed May 31 to complete one crore signatures," said Annamalai while speaking to reporters on Friday.

Earlier, former Telangana Governor and BJP Leader Tamilisai Soundarajan was stopped by police in her attempt to carry forward the BJP Signature Campaign in support of the National Education Policy in Chennai. Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP State President K Annamalai, and others participated in the campaign questioning DMK's opposition to the three-language policy under NEP.

The BJP leader Soundararajan questioned why children are denied the opportunity to study another language which will open new job opportunities BJP state president Annamalai claimed that police have "arrested" Tamilisai Soundararajan and said the party will not back down.

Annamalai accused DMK of "making" Tamil a commercial language for sixty years and allowing the trilingual policy only in private schools. He added that People have understood the "drama" of DMK and CM Stalin and there's a massive support for the trilingual policy.

"The double role of the DMK, which has been making Tamil a commercial language for sixty years and allowing the trilingual policy only in private schools, is being exposed today. The public is starting to realize the drama of the DMK and is seeing the massive support for the trilingual policy, and the Chief Minister MK Stalin is reeling in fear. As a result, the democratic signature movement is being blocked and arrested." Annamalai wrote on X.

Annamalai said the state's BJP will not back down over these "illegal" arrests.

"The Tamil Nadu BJP will not back down in fear after all this arrest spree. We will go to every house in Tamil Nadu. How many people can you arrest illegally, Chief Minister? The National Education Policy provides quality education and the opportunity to learn multiple languages in government schools for free to the children of your party's cadre of volunteers. Why are you blocking that?" Annamalai wrote.

Notably, the Tamil Nadu government has strongly opposed implementing the New Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, raising concern over the "three-language formula" and alleging that the Centre wants to 'impose' Hindi.