DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has strongly criticized states that, he claims, push students to study only Hindi while discouraging English. He linked these policies to poor job opportunities and migration to southern states.
At an event, Maran said some states discourage students from getting an education and tell them to focus only on Hindi. “You are told not to study English and warned that you will be ruined if you do. You will be kept as slaves,” he remarked, which may reignite the debate over Hindi imposition.
Girls educated in south kept as slaves in north, says Dayanidhi Maran
Maran connected the movement of people from northern states to the south to these educational practices. He argued that Tamil Nadu’s focus on education has driven its economic growth. “Today, all the top global companies are coming to Tamil Nadu because of educated people,” he said.
He argued that limiting education to Hindi alone leads to unemployment in other regions, while Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian model ensures equal access to education for both girls and boys. This, he said, has resulted in higher literacy rates and better workforce participation among women in the state.
Led political controversy
Maran further contended that discouraging English education restricts students’ opportunities and future prospects. He added that language-based restrictions create barriers to growth and employment.
In response, the BJP criticized DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran comments, saying he lacks “common sense” and should apologize to the nation, especially to Hindi-speaking communities. “I don’t think Dayanidhi Maran has any common sense. This is the problem. I strongly condemn his remarks, and he must apologize to the people of India, especially those who speak Hindi, whom he has portrayed as uneducated and uncivilized,” BJP leader Thirupathy Narayanan told.
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