War of words erupted between DMK and BJP for the second day in a row inside the Parliament over the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP).
The DMK MPs protested in the Parliament complex and demanded an apology from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin and his party on Monday.
The DMK MPs protested in the Parliament complex and demanded an apology from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin and his party on Monday.
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NewsTranscript
00:00The state has heard that the minister, in his reply in parliament today, has called the Tamil Nadu government and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilized.
00:09They are Dijonists, my dear friends. They are Dijonists. They are not committed to Tamil Nadu students.
00:15Language war now in parliament.
00:19Their only job is to raise language pressure. They are doing politics.
00:23DMK versus BJP on the three-language policy.
00:27We are tomato. We are tomato. We are tomato. We are tomato.
00:32DMK cries Hindi imposition.
00:35We are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students.
00:38BJP alleges Hindi only an option.
00:42Parliament resounds in protest.
00:45Down, down, Dharmendra Pradhan.
00:52The great linguistic divide.
00:54Drop focus on To The Point this evening.
01:00Good evening. You are watching To The Point. I am Preeti Chaudhary.
01:03That linguistic divide is now dividing parliament.
01:07Parliament in protest. We will tell you exactly why.
01:10First up, allow me to take you through the headlines.
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01:32DMK versus Centre. War explodes.
01:34DMK MPs stage protest outside parliament over the three-language formula.
01:43BJP Congress face-off over Malik Arjun Kharge's thokinge comment.
01:48Says government ko thokinge.
01:50Congress chief later apologises to chair but says will not apologise to Modi's ministries.
01:57We are ready to speak.
02:00You can say whatever you want to.
02:04But, sir...
02:06You will argue amongst yourselves.
02:09Leave him alone.
02:13Rousing welcome for Prime Minister Modi in Mauritius.
02:16Modi meets the Indian diaspora.
02:18Plants are sapling at Mauritius Botanical Garden.
02:27Tragic news. Kerala teen dies after following extreme hot water diet for months.
02:33Weighed only 24 kilos when she was brought to hospital.
02:36India reports an anorexic death by eating disorder.
02:43Airtel announces an agreement with SpaceX to bring Starlink high-speed internet services to its customers in India.
02:54Pact subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorisation to sell Starlink in India.
03:03Baloch Liberation Army hijacks train in Pakistan.
03:07Takes over 100 hostages.
03:09Warns of more casualties if the Pak Army's aerial bombardment is not halted.
03:20Alright, top story.
03:21The language wars playing out in Parliament.
03:23The DMK and the BJP centre faced off in Parliament.
03:28DMK and the India Alliance MPs protested outside Parliament over the contentious three-language policy
03:34under the National Education Policy, the NEP, and against the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.
03:41Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called the Education Minister arrogant,
03:46alleged the centre wants to privatise education for the rich, claiming blackmail by the centre.
03:51Stalin reiterated DMK will never implement the NEP's what he called the Nagpur scheme.
03:59Earlier, the Education Minister claimed the DMK government took a U-turn on the NEP issue
04:05and accused the Tamil Nadu government of being undemocratic and uncivilised,
04:09leading the DMK to demand an apology and a massive face-off.
04:13The BJP released a report claiming the NEP under Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi imposed Hindi
04:19and led to violent protests in Tamil Nadu as well, while NEP 2020 does not impose any language.
04:29They are ruining the future of Tamil Nadu students.
04:32Their only job is to raise language passion.
04:35They are doing politics. They are doing mischief.
04:38This is unfortunate in the federal state.
04:40They can't put allegations on the government of India.
04:44Very pained and hurt that the minister, in his reply in Parliament today,
04:49has called the members of Parliament, the Tamil Nadu government, and the people of Tamil Nadu uncivilised.
04:56We have clearly said that we have issues with the NEP.
05:01We cannot accept it in full because three-language policy is not acceptable to Tamil Nadu.
05:07Okay.
05:08All right, so now what you just heard was a DMK facing off with the centre in Parliament.
05:14We'll tell you exactly why.
05:15Of course, it's over the three-language policy under the national education policy.
05:20But, viewers, just about three days ago, at the India Today conclave,
05:23the Chief Minister of Telangana of the Congress, Revant Reddy, also took on the centre
05:28and the BJP when it came down to what he called Hindi imposition.
05:33Listen in.
05:35Mr. Reddy, you spoke about delimitation, where you said all South parties are together.
05:40But there is something that all South parties are not together,
05:42and that is the issue of the education policy, the three-language policy.
05:48Preeti ji, aap misquote mat karo.
05:51South parties are not intact.
05:53Entire South population is intact.
05:56BJP is not with us.
05:58Political party is not with us.
06:00Chandrababu Naidu has made a charge, Mr. Reddy,
06:03and he's saying the likes of you and the likes of Mr. Stalin
06:07are denying a sizeable population in their state the right to learn,
06:12if they want an optional right to learn a link language like Hindi,
06:16which will connect the North-South divide.
06:19Toh koi baasha seekhne ke liye,
06:22koi jabardasti karne ka zaruri nahi hai.
06:24College mein aapko optional language French bhi tha,
06:27German tha, Sanskrit tha.
06:29So you're adopting the policy?
06:31Koi bhi seekh sakta hai.
06:32Hindi is largest speaking language.
06:35This is not national language.
06:37Toh Hindi ke liye itna koshish kar raha hai,
06:39Modi ji ya nahi toh Bharati Janta Party,
06:42Telugu ke liye aap kya facility diye?
06:44They are saying it's optional.
06:45But allow people to pick that option, if they want to.
06:48Optional raha toh kisi ko dikkat nahi hai.
06:50Main aaj Hindi mein bol raha hoon.
06:52Toh Hindi toh mein seekh kar bol raha hoon na.
06:55Toh yeh aap jabardasti amare pe mour marne ke liye koshish mat karo.
07:02Woh kilaf hai hum log.
07:04Mujhe fayda dikha rajneeti mein.
07:06Hindi seekh liye toh main aaye ke thok sakta hoon Modi ji ko.
07:09Alright, so that was the Chief Minister of Telangana
07:14clearly taking a stand.
07:16But viewers, all of this is congregated right now
07:18as a face-off between Tamil Nadu and the Centre.
07:21The Tamil Nadu run government by the DMK versus the Centre.
07:25What has sparked the latest face-off?
07:27Let's take you through that.
07:28February 15th, viewers,
07:30the Centre said that the funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme
07:35will not be released for Tamil Nadu
07:37unless it accepts the National Education's
07:41three-language policy 2020 in its entirety.
07:45Now, February 16th,
07:47MK Stalin accuses the Centre of blackmail for withholding funds.
07:51February 20th,
07:52Stalin writes to the Prime Minister
07:54seeking immediate release of 2,152 crore funds for education.
07:59February 21st, Union Education Minister
08:02urges Stalin to rise above political differences.
08:05Why has it come in just right now?
08:07Because we were still now,
08:09even though there was an earlier education policy,
08:13even despite of it,
08:15Tamil Nadu till now was following the two-language policy,
08:19English and Tamil.
08:21And there was no stoppage of funds from the Centre.
08:25This face-off has now come together
08:27because this time,
08:28under the guidelines of the new NEP,
08:31new education policy and the three-language policy,
08:34in that, the government has said
08:37till you adopt it in entirety, we are not giving you funds.
08:40What is the three-language formula?
08:42Let me explain that.
08:43It recommends that students learn three languages.
08:46Two of the three languages should be native to India.
08:49Applies to both government and private schools.
08:52Gives states flexibility to choose languages without imposition.
08:56Proposes Hindi, English and regional language in non-Hindi states.
09:00Proposes Hindi, English and southern language in Hindi-speaking states.
09:05Now, in this, the DMK says
09:08that the Centre covertly is trying to push Hindi in Tamil Nadu.
09:13The Centre says, we are not imposing Hindi.
09:16It's an option.
09:17Till now, there is a stark difference
09:19between the old and the new language policy.
09:22And that was that in it,
09:24English was earlier considered a native language.
09:27Now, English under the new education policy
09:30is considered a foreign language.
09:33So that leaves, when the native language comes into question,
09:36the two languages earlier, Tamil Nadu used to pick
09:39English and Tamil as the native language
09:41because English was considered a native language.
09:44But they can't do it right now
09:45because English has now moved to the foreign language category.
09:48So they'll have to pick a new language.
09:50This is the whole face-off which is building in.
09:54And we must remind our viewers
09:56that there are a lot of southern states who've come up together
09:58and said, we are not accepting the NEP.
10:00But other than Tamil Nadu,
10:02it's the only state that has remained,
10:06which has not implemented the three-language formula.
10:10All other states, the two Congress-run states in the south,
10:13even Kerala has implemented the three-language formula.
10:16So at the back of it, the questions that I ask our viewers
10:19and our panelists this evening,
10:21Hindi imposition, is it a real fear?
10:24Or is it fear-mongering?
10:27Is the center covertly trying to push Hindi
10:30through the NEP's three-language policy?
10:33South parties creating imaginary linguistic hysteria for political gain.
10:37This is a charge that you hear very often by the BJP and the center.
10:41On the other hand, flip it over.
10:43Why is the center withholding education funds to Tamil Nadu?
10:46It's never happened before.
10:47Why is DMK denying Hindi as an option to Tamil Nadu?
10:51Because the center says,
10:52we're not imposing it, but allow it to be an option.
10:54Let me take all these questions to our panelists this evening.
10:57Joining me, Sanju Verma, National Spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party.
11:00A. Saravanan, Spokesperson, DMK.
11:03Deepak Reddy, Gunapathi, Spokesperson, TDP.
11:06Bhavya Narasimha Murthy, Spokesperson, Congress.
11:09Vinoba Bhupathi, Spokesperson, PMK.
11:12I want to begin with the DMK spokesperson first, Mr. A. Saravanan.
11:15What is the reason with which DMK right now stands alone?
11:20Tamil Nadu stands as the only state
11:22which is refusing to adopt the new education policy,
11:26the three-language policy.
11:28What is the reasoning, sir?
11:36Mr. Saravanan, can you hear me?
11:42We are having a bit of an audio problem with Mr. A. Saravanan,
11:46but let me quickly cut across to Sanju Verma, National Spokesperson, BJP.
11:51Sanju Verma, the fact is the DMK-run Tamil Nadu
11:55has never adopted Hindi even as an option.
11:58Even earlier on, while under the Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi,
12:03the education policy, even then the DMK and Tamil Nadu
12:08has stuck to the two-language policy
12:10because then English was considered a native language.
12:13This time around, Sanju Verma,
12:15it seems the government has dug in its heels.
12:17Why stop funding?
12:18You've stopped funding to an extent of 5,000 crores
12:23to Tamil Nadu and education
12:25until and unless they adopt the three-language policy entirely.
12:30You know, Preeti, first and foremost,
12:32let's get one thing very, very clear.
12:34Education is under the concurrent list of the Indian Constitution
12:39right from the 42nd Amendment way back in 1976.
12:43And if you look at past conventions,
12:45whenever there has been a dispute between the centre and the state,
12:49it is the writ of the centre,
12:51writ of the union government, the Modi government in this case,
12:54which has prevailed or shall prevail.
12:56Point number one.
12:57Point number two.
12:58Be it NK Stalin, be it Kani Modi,
13:01or for that matter, Rahul Gandhi,
13:03this entire Jamaat,
13:04they wave the red book of the Constitution
13:07at the drop of a hat on the floor of the Parliament saying,
13:11we are standing for the Constitution
13:13because of the Indian People's Party,
13:15the Constitution is in danger,
13:16the democracy is in danger,
13:17the caste system is in danger.
13:19Today I want to ask these self-declared,
13:22you know, beacons of constitutional propriety,
13:26do you remember what Babasaheb Ambedkar said?
13:29He's the father of the Indian Constitution
13:31and Article 343 of the Indian Constitution,
13:36fathered by Babasaheb Ambedkar,
13:38clearly states, listen carefully,
13:41that Hindi in Devanagari script
13:44is the official language of the Indian Union.
13:47While I agree that under the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution,
13:51there are 22 official languages,
13:54please understand that
13:56while Article 343,
13:58out of those 22 languages,
14:00the Constitution clearly says,
14:02Hindi may not be our Rashtra Bhasha,
14:05but Hindi is certainly,
14:07very categorically, our Raj Bhasha.
14:10Hindi in Devanagari script
14:12is the official language of the Indian Union.
14:15DMK wale, kaam khod kar yeh baas sun lijye.
14:18And my final point, Preeti, is this,
14:20please read Article 347, 348, 349,
14:24but most importantly, Article 351 also,
14:28because all these articles pertain to
14:30how disputes will be resolved
14:33should centre and states not see eye to eye with each other
14:37on the key matter of education.
14:40Article 351 of the Constitution
14:42clearly says, and I'm quoting as verbatim,
14:45that it is not only incumbent upon the Union Government,
14:49but it shall be incumbent upon
14:51all the states of the Indian Republic
14:53and the Union Territories of the Indian Republic
14:56to promote, preserve Hindi language
14:59as Hindi is the official language.
15:02So I want to ask the DMK,
15:04you don't respect Article 343?
15:06You don't respect Article 348?
15:08You don't respect Article 351?
15:10And then you say, you have the audacity to say,
15:12oh, we are being marginalised.
15:14Oh, we are being victimised.
15:16Oh, we are being penalised.
15:18Sanju Varma, I'm going to come right back to you.
15:20Okay, allow me to open the debate
15:22and when I come back to you, I'm going to ask you one question.
15:24Maybe you can mull over it and you're very right.
15:26Sanju Varma, when you say that
15:28Hindi is the official language under the Constitution,
15:31but under the same Constitution,
15:33in the same line, it says Hindi and English
15:36are the official languages
15:38where India is concerned.
15:40And when you say that, today,
15:42under the NEP, you've relegated English to a foreign language.
15:45So if it was an official language,
15:47then how is it a foreign language today?
15:49I'll come back to you and we'll circle back to it.
15:51But I want to bring in A. Saravanan into this conversation.
15:53And A. Saravanan, the question that I ask you is,
15:55you stand isolated today
15:57where Tamil Nadu is concerned.
15:59Tamil Nadu is the only state that hasn't implemented the NEP.
16:01Every other state in the South
16:03has gone ahead, even your own ally,
16:05two Congress-run states,
16:07have adopted the three-language policy.
16:12Preeti, we are not isolated.
16:14We are standing proud.
16:16We are standing tall
16:18that we have rejected this national education policy
16:20which has to be consigned to the dustbin.
16:22What it does, it does not promote education.
16:24If you follow national education policy,
16:26you will be taken 100 years back.
16:28It is regressive.
16:30It promotes Sanskrit.
16:32It promotes vocational training.
16:34It promotes entrance examination.
16:36It gives importance to only that.
16:38And to point out,
16:40one of the objects of the national education policy
16:42is to make 50%
16:44the gross enrollment ratio of our country
16:46by 2030.
16:48In Tamil Nadu, the gross enrollment ratio
16:50is already 47%.
16:52So what are we talking?
16:54Why should we follow?
16:56The policy which we followed has already achieved
16:58one of the objects of the national education policy.
17:00Then why should we follow this national education policy
17:02which gives us the third language?
17:04And with respect to all the BJP spokespersons
17:06and all the BJP leaders,
17:08there is a legislation called
17:10the Official Languages Act, 1963,
17:12which says
17:14English and Hindi will continue
17:16to be the official languages of this country.
17:18And the Official Language Rules, 1976,
17:20which says
17:22this is not applicable
17:24to the state of Tamil Nadu.
17:26It has carved out an exception
17:28to the state of Tamil Nadu.
17:30When you say, when you quote a constitutional provision
17:32and say, follow Hindi,
17:34this is what we call as Hindi majoritarianism.
17:36We say we don't want that.
17:38If you want, see, we are not against Hindi.
17:40There are Hindi prachads of ours.
17:42We love Hindi languages.
17:44We watch Hindi movies.
17:46We love Shah Rukh Khan. We love Salman Khan.
17:48We love all the other
17:50Bollywood superstars.
17:52We love Bollywood songs.
17:54But can you shove it down our throat?
17:56If you do that, we will oppose it.
17:58We have no problem in anybody
18:00studying Hindi here.
18:02The BJP is...
18:04What the BJP is doing here
18:06is saying, if you are not studying
18:08Hindi, I will not give you
18:102,100 crores.
18:12The problem arises there.
18:14And that is why we are opposing it.
18:16We will oppose the BJP.
18:22We will oppose the BJP standing firm
18:24with the BJP where the
18:26three-language policy is concerned.
18:28Mr. Gunapathi, it's a risk, possibly,
18:30that you are taking because even though
18:32the other southern states might
18:34have implemented the three-language policy,
18:36they are very, very vocal against it.
18:38They feel it's Hindi imposition
18:40and this, popularly,
18:42by the people, you know,
18:44of that side of the Vindhya, will not be
18:46accepted.
18:48A very good evening, Preeti.
18:50Love to be part of this
18:52debate because I want to expose
18:54the hypocrisy of DMK.
18:56They are not speaking
18:58on behalf of South India because
19:00each of us have our own minds
19:02and our own policies.
19:04Let me tell you one thing. It's very clear
19:06looking at the history, they have been
19:08milking this issue for their benefit
19:10for too long. I mean, if you see
19:12the politics where DMK is playing,
19:14it's purely on the basis of language,
19:16caste, religion, and region.
19:18So, this is what has
19:20made them be in power for so long.
19:22I think the people of Tamil Nadu
19:24should realize that they've been taken
19:26on a ride for too long. Now, let me
19:28show you one geo, which has
19:30been issued by government of Andhra Pradesh
19:32just this month, geo number 121.
19:34What this says is,
19:36apart from the three-language
19:38policies, there is a lot of
19:40scope for employment in Europe.
19:42So, we're getting in around 11
19:44international languages also to be
19:46part of our curriculum for those
19:48who want to go abroad and learn.
19:50So, not just the Indian languages, the three.
19:52So, when Chandrababu Nayaduji
19:54was asked the same question of a chief minister,
19:56he said, what's wrong in learning another language?
19:58The people of our state will
20:00have opportunities to go work in other parts
20:02of India also. So, this is an attitude.
20:04So, you can look at two
20:06states, which are both neighboring states,
20:08the way it is politicized by one
20:10state for their political benefit, and a
20:12progressive state like Andhra Pradesh, which
20:14is looking at it in a way to
20:16benefit the students so that
20:18they can have better careers in the future.
20:20One last thing.
20:22If you see the bordering
20:24districts to Tamil Nadu and
20:26Karnataka, the schools in Andhra Pradesh
20:28teach Tamil and
20:30Kannada. So, the students have
20:32a choice. They can choose any of
20:34the two Indian languages, but the
20:36people of DMK, the leaders of
20:38DMK, try to politicize this
20:40purely for their political
20:42interest.
20:46I'll circle back to you. Allow me to go to
20:48the other two panelists. I want to bring in
20:50Bhavya Narsimha Moorthy.
20:52Bhavya Narsimha Moorthy,
20:54Telangana-Andhra, together but so very
20:56different. You both might have adopted
20:58the three-language policy, but the TDP
21:00in Andhra very clearly sees this as an
21:02opportunity, an option,
21:04where the people can possibly
21:06learn a linked language, which links them
21:08to the North. You've adopted
21:10the language in Telangana, you've adopted
21:12the language in Karnataka, but you continue
21:14to maintain that this,
21:16somewhere down the line, is Hindi imposition.
21:21You know what is imposition?
21:23Calling a whole state
21:25as uncivilized just because
21:27they do not agree with you?
21:29Holding them at ransom
21:31that if you don't implement this, we are
21:33not going to give you the funds?
21:35This is totally
21:37against the constitution. Why do we even
21:39have three lists in the constitution?
21:41Union list, state list and the concurrent list?
21:43Because we know our jurisdiction.
21:45When it comes to concurrent list,
21:47both of them have to agree to it.
21:49One cannot hold the other at a ransom.
21:51What the
21:53Modi government is doing is blackmail
21:55here. That's imposition.
21:57You cannot force it on us. You cannot
21:59show it down our throat, the
22:01Hindi imposition. If we
22:03agree, we agree.
22:05Now, to the TDP spokesperson
22:07here, DMK might
22:09not represent
22:11the whole South
22:13but they definitely
22:15represent the whole South's
22:17feelings. You're
22:19talking about, you know,
22:21European countries, these
22:23people go, so you're teaching. That's good.
22:25Good you're doing all that. But do you even
22:27know how many people from North migrate
22:29to Karnataka looking for jobs?
22:31Starting from software jobs to
22:33even selling pani puris. Why don't you
22:35use Kannada there?
22:37If it's about economic opportunity,
22:39it's their choice, they want to learn.
22:41You cannot push it down,
22:43you know, you cannot click.
22:45Force them to learn Hindi.
22:47There is no need to learn Hindi for us.
22:49We are the second, from Karnataka,
22:51I'm speaking for Karnataka.
22:53You're forcing us to celebrate Hindi
22:55Diwas. Why?
22:57Why should we?
22:59Does the whole India celebrate Kannada Rajyotsava?
23:01Why should we celebrate Hindi Diwas?
23:03Why are every central government
23:05officers asked to celebrate Hindi Diwas?
23:07Isn't this imposition?
23:09Why is Hindi totally
23:11special compared to other languages?
23:13What's the whole point?
23:15Let me, allow me to bring in, allow me to bring
23:17in now, Vinoba Bhupathi and I must tell you
23:19all of you are getting equal time, we are timing it.
23:21I want to bring in Vinoba Bhupathi, spokesperson
23:23PMK back into this, introduce
23:25him into this conversation because the
23:27PMK is in a bit of a quandary.
23:29They attended the all party meeting when it
23:31came down to delimitation and what the
23:33DMK called Hindi imposition, but the
23:35PMK is technically an
23:37ally and in bed with the BJP.
23:39So, Mr. Bhupathi, where
23:41does the PMK stand on
23:43the three language policy? Should it
23:45be implemented in Tamil Nadu like
23:47your own ally wants and is withholding
23:49funds until and unless it's
23:51implemented or it shouldn't?
23:53Where do you stand?
23:55Very good evening to
23:57Preeti as well as other panel members.
23:59One should understand
24:01that three language policy
24:03is not at all required
24:05in any of the states in India.
24:07See, Tamil Nadu is a developed
24:09state. Tamil Nadu is a developing state
24:11compared to other states in various
24:13parameters. Science and technology
24:15is the future. Language is no
24:17doubt is important. We
24:19are not against any language.
24:21We are against imposition of
24:23any language in the form of
24:25union policy. One should not
24:27forget, we,
24:29Pathalimakkal Kachchi is very specific
24:31with respect to one single language
24:33formula.
24:35Three language formula is a scam.
24:37Two language policy is a sham.
24:39Single language policy is the
24:41appropriate one. Please understand,
24:43DMK may have its own politics.
24:45BJP may have its own
24:47politics on language.
24:49They may even get benefit out of it.
24:51But culturally, the
24:53union government should not
24:55interfere the financial aspect
24:57with NEP. State
24:59governments have the
25:01rights, administrative rights,
25:03executive rights and legislative rights
25:05well within its purview.
25:07Union government, directly or indirectly
25:09cannot interfere, cannot
25:11force in these areas.
25:13They have lessons in the past.
25:15They should have learnt it and
25:17now also they should learn that they
25:19should not force, especially
25:21in terms of financial terms.
25:23How come a union government
25:25can try to enforce a national
25:27education policy saying that
25:29only when you accept this,
25:31we will give you money.
25:33This is absolutely unfair.
25:35Mr. Bhupathi, before I go back to the BJP, can I ask you one question?
25:37I'm interrupting you. You can complete it there.
25:39Are you still with the BJP as an ally?
25:41I just want to ask you that
25:43question, just with the back of what you said.
25:45We are with the people of Tamil Nadu.
25:47Please understand.
25:49Election coalition is different.
25:51Standing with the state's
25:53autonomy, state's rights and people of
25:55Tamil Nadu is a different thing.
25:57Can you understand? Please forget about the rhetoric
25:59of all the politicization
26:01in this issue.
26:03Please understand Tamil Nadu has a different
26:05history with regard to
26:07federalism. Tamil Nadu
26:09successfully succeeded
26:11in the past from
26:13these kind of institutions.
26:15Even being an ally of
26:17the BJP, you bravely put your point of view.
26:19Not just bravely, Sanju Varma, you've been
26:21practically warned by your
26:23own ally in Tamil Nadu which says
26:25don't play with fire. Look at history
26:27on what's gone down in Tamil Nadu.
26:29Sanju Varma, let me hark back to the question that I asked
26:31you right in the beginning.
26:33Why is all of this coming together to a head
26:35right now? Because a lot of people would want to
26:37understand two things. Funds have never
26:39been held away from Tamil Nadu for what they've
26:41always followed, a two-language policy.
26:43Number two, with what you said, Hindi is the official
26:45language. English used to be the official language
26:47under the new NEP, you made it a
26:49foreign language.
26:51Preeti, now let me make one thing
26:53very clear. You know, the problem sometimes
26:55and this is with no offense to you or
26:57any of the panelists, the problem sometimes
26:59with prime time television debates is
27:01without reading or writing, people
27:03come to TV debates and start giving
27:05speeches. And let me warn the Congress,
27:07you know, sitting here and
27:09saying, oh, you know, why don't we celebrate
27:11X, Y, Z, why we celebrate only
27:13Hindi day? First and foremost,
27:15let's get one thing very clear. Funds
27:17are allocated as per the
27:19recommendations of the Finance Commission.
27:2141% of the
27:23central government's taxable pool
27:25is shared with all states
27:27based on certain criteria and
27:29checks and balances, and this has been
27:31happening for donkey's years.
27:33The BJP has not stumbled around with that
27:35norm. Can I just say, Sanjeeva,
27:37let's not interrupt anyone
27:39and get... No one
27:41will come to you on your time.
27:43Do not interrupt. Please
27:45allow. I will come to you on your time.
27:47Let me just get Sanjeeva.
27:49Ma'am, I will come to you on
27:51your time. You'll get equal time. Do not interrupt.
27:53Extend the same courtesy you
27:55demand. Sanjeeva, please go ahead.
27:57Thank you, Preeti. Yes, I will attack the
27:59Congress spokesperson because she made zero sense.
28:01You know, she can barely speak two coherent
28:03words in English and she has the audacity to lecture.
28:05Neither can she speak in English nor
28:07can she speak in Hindi. And sitting here,
28:09she gives a lecture on education to the BJP.
28:11So please, go and educate yourself.
28:13Now, let me come straight to the point, Preeti.
28:15What does the PM Shree's scheme say?
28:17I will come to your question also, which is a very
28:19valid one. The PM Shree has a total
28:21budget of 27,360
28:23crores, out of which the central share
28:25is only 18,128 crores.
28:27The state share of 9,232
28:29crores. The decision
28:31on which state will be allocated
28:33how much is decided by something
28:35called a Project Approval Board.
28:37The Project Approval Board
28:39also has representatives
28:41and members of different states.
28:43So for Tamil Nadu or MK Stalin
28:45to start playing the victim card
28:47and crying wolf,
28:49that our money has been taken away.
28:51Your money has not been taken away.
28:53Calm down. Don't play the victim card.
28:55Point number one. Point number two,
28:57the Official Languages Act of
28:591963 and the
29:01Revised Official Languages Act of 1976
29:03does not exclude
29:05Tamil Nadu from any
29:07constitutional provision, which
29:09means Article 343
29:11applies as much to Tamil Nadu
29:13as to Punjab, as to Maharashtra,
29:15as to Telangana, as to Uttar Pradesh.
29:17Point number three.
29:19What does the NEP 2020
29:21say about English? Now this is
29:23very important. You know, instead of
29:25getting into this foreign language versus
29:27domestic language, I exactly
29:29hear half what the
29:31NEP 2020 says.
29:33It says that there should be
29:35flexibility in language choices.
29:37English has been the medium
29:39of expression for administrative
29:41excellence and for
29:43seamlessness in government and there is
29:45no reason why that should change.
29:47All that the NEP says...
29:49Ma'am, alright. I want to bring in...
29:51You've had your time. I want to bring in the other panelists.
29:53There's a limited time that I have. You've made a point
29:55on what the new NEP says about English.
29:57But I will tell you why it's come to a head.
29:59Because our viewers need to understand.
30:01English till now, viewers, was considered
30:03as a native language. So when you say
30:05that you have a three-language policy, you have to
30:07pick two native languages, people
30:09in Tamil Nadu would pick Tamil Nadu and English
30:11because they were native. Now,
30:13English is no longer a native language
30:15in the new NEP. English is actually a
30:17foreign language. So you study English
30:19as a foreign language while, along with
30:21Tamil, you will have to pick another
30:23native language. Now that can be even
30:25Bangla if you want to study it. It can be
30:27even Telugu if you want to
30:29study it. It can be Punjabi if you want to study
30:31it in Tamil Nadu.
30:33The government though will recommend Hindi
30:35in southern states and will recommend
30:37other southern languages in
30:39non-southern states. So,
30:41there is no
30:43imposition when it comes down to
30:45Hindi. It is an option.
30:47You are denying the right to
30:49your people and to the young students
30:51to learn possibly a linked language
30:53to the north. It's not
30:55an imposition. It's an option is what
30:57the center is saying.
30:59Preeti, let's first debunk
31:01the lies of the BJP spokesperson.
31:03She said it's about the
31:05PM Shree schools. The fund is not. That is the
31:07whole problem. The fund is not
31:09linked to the PM Shree schools.
31:11The fund is linked to SSA.
31:13That was a different scheme.
31:15The BJP government is saying
31:17you are not allowing PM Shree
31:19schools. We will not give you the
31:21funds related to the SSA scheme.
31:23That is the problem here. That is why
31:25we are fighting.
31:27Even PM Shree schools, only a portion
31:29of the fund is coming from the union government.
31:31This is one aspect. The other thing is
31:33when you are speaking about English,
31:35let us not forget the fact that India
31:37is an economic superpower.
31:39What we have achieved economically is
31:41because we are having English
31:43as one of the main speaking languages.
31:45The software exports speaks for itself.
31:47Look at the
31:49hypocrisy of all the BJP leaders.
31:51All their children,
31:53where are they educated?
31:55All of them are educated in
31:57Harvard, Stanford, Columbia,
31:59Oxford, Cambridge.
32:01When it comes to the common
32:03Karyakarta, they should go
32:05lynch someone based on their
32:07dietary preference. This is the duplicity
32:09of the BJP.
32:11They want to wish away English
32:13and bring in Hindi.
32:15If you look at the
32:17speeches of Mr. Amit Shah,
32:19he will always point this out.
32:21It is a colonial hangover.
32:23We don't have English.
32:25Please read Hindi. We don't want Hindi.
32:27If you are studying Hindi,
32:29it will make you a second-class citizen
32:31in our own country.
32:33We will become second-class citizens
32:35if we are following Hindi as a linked language
32:37or if Hindi is shoved down our throats.
32:39We will not allow Hindi to be shoved
32:41down our throats. We will fight.
32:43Our great leader Peranjana Rana has said
32:45this is not about a language.
32:47This war is not a language war.
32:49This is a war about hegemony.
32:51The people there think
32:53let us push how much ever
32:55you can take.
32:57We will show them how much we can take,
32:59how much we cannot take.
33:01This is all about domination
33:03over the state of Tamil Nadu,
33:05people of Tamil Nadu, culture of Tamil Nadu.
33:07We will not allow that
33:09at any cost. We will fight it
33:11till the end.
33:13I want to go to Deepak Reddy Gunapathi.
33:15The fact is
33:17the DMK has clearly taken a hard stand.
33:19They are refusing to implement the
33:21three-language policy, even though the two-run
33:23Congress states have, but they have made it very clear
33:25when it comes down to popularly,
33:27the people will not accept it
33:29because there is a strong regional
33:31flavor when each of your
33:33states is concerned. By going
33:35along with the three-language policy,
33:37are you somewhere down the line
33:39popularly alienating
33:41your people from what they feel
33:43is regional pride?
33:45Preeti, we have
33:47a much more stronger feeling for our native
33:49language. In fact, when Jaganmohan Reddy
33:51government introduced English
33:53as a primary language, we fought hard
33:55and we changed it. Now, Telugu is our primary language.
33:57Let me get one thing very clear.
33:59Earlier, the people of Andhra Pradesh
34:01were part of the Madras state.
34:03Similar activities
34:05they have done. We were hurt
34:07and we broke away from them.
34:09After the Telugus broke away, now they started
34:11using Hindi. This is
34:13nothing but a political gimmick.
34:15At times, I wonder, what type of a complex
34:17do these people suffer from? Either
34:19inferiority or superiority, or they have a
34:21slave mentality or a colonial hangover?
34:23I don't know. But the fact of
34:25the matter is, they are milking
34:27this for their political benefit
34:29and nothing other than that.
34:31Chandrababu Naiduji has very casually
34:33said, what's wrong in learning another language?
34:35It's as simple as that.
34:37You're giving opportunities for the students
34:39to communicate better with the brothers
34:41of North India and the sisters of North India.
34:43It's as simple as that.
34:45They are just blowing this out
34:47of proportion, only for vote bank
34:49politics. This is something that I
34:51strongly feel. One last word.
34:53If you take the leaders of
34:55DMK, majority of the
34:57children of them, of the DMK leaders
34:59are going to English medium schools.
35:01They are no champions of Tamil.
35:03I challenge, did
35:05Stalin go to any Tamil school?
35:07Or did Stalin's son go to any
35:09Tamil school? This is nothing
35:11but political gimmicks
35:13for their vote bank politics.
35:15Let me be very brutal
35:17and frank about this.
35:19Alright, sir. I want to bring in Bhavya Narasimha
35:21Murthy. Bhavya Narasimha Murthy,
35:23over to you. You wanted to respond to what
35:25Sanju Verma said. You have your time
35:27right now. Go ahead.
35:29I felt like laughing
35:31at Sanju Verma.
35:35I have a master's from an Ivy League
35:37university.
35:39And you call me
35:41whatever nonsense that you used.
35:43But there are two very basic things
35:45I have learned from my education, which you haven't.
35:47You know what? On a national channel,
35:49not to attack someone personally
35:51and be decent. The second one,
35:53not to make a fool of yourself by
35:55demeaning someone without knowing their background.
35:57You tell me about your education.
35:59Let's debate on my English.
36:01Let's see who has a better English.
36:03So keep your personal things aside.
36:05I am an Ivy League graduate.
36:07Do not get personal with any of the panelists.
36:09Have some decency. I know
36:11BJP is known for not being decent.
36:13Let's stick to the topic and not get
36:15personal.
36:17Next thing.
36:19I just want to address
36:21the TBD
36:23spokesperson here.
36:25You were talking about separating from Tamil Nadu
36:27because to protect your Telugu
36:29language. Don't you think you're repeating
36:31the same mistake again of
36:33not protecting your language
36:35There are people who have given their lives
36:37Puttu Sriramulu gave his life
36:39at least respect his sacrifice
36:41for the Telugu language
36:43On every other state
36:45all of us are protecting our language against
36:47this imposition and only because
36:49you are in coalition with BJP
36:51you're giving up on your values
36:53and disrespecting your own
36:55heroes of your state.
36:57Okay, ma'am. Hard cut.
36:59I want to cut across to Vinoba Bhupathi
37:01spokesperson PMK
37:03Vinoba Bhupathi spokesperson PMK
37:05your last one minute, sir. You've taken a
37:07stand against your ally at the center
37:09siding with the DMK when it
37:11comes down to the three language policy
37:13Go ahead.
37:15With due respect to all the panel
37:17members. Yes, we do have complaints against
37:19the DMK government in Tamil Nadu that they failed
37:21to protect or promote Tamil language
37:23Yes, they failed to promote Tamil
37:25language right from 1949
37:27upon which they came to power in Tamil
37:29Nadu and they are still in power. We have
37:31all complaints against DMK government
37:33but we have to
37:35our party has a separate stand
37:37unique stand that is
37:39just because the
37:41DMK government did not protect Tamil Nadu
37:43Tamil language
37:45as a compulsory language
37:47for medium of studies in Tamil Nadu
37:49that doesn't encourage by way of
37:51NEP that union government can
37:53impose Hindi indirectly. We are not
37:55saying that PM Sri or NEP is
37:57directly imposing Hindi language
37:59but it is trying to indirectly doing that
38:01and more dangerous is it is against
38:03federalism and it is unconstitutional
38:05to tag financial
38:07revolution in the name of
38:09understand only one last statement
38:11India is a union
38:13of state. The definition is
38:15union includes states union
38:17territories. Please understand center
38:19doesn't gets money
38:21on its own. Please understand
38:23all the money the center gets
38:25is from the state governments. Please
38:27understand states
38:29contribute to the union
38:31I have run
38:33out of time but Sanju Varma
38:35because there is a question that is posed by
38:37your own ally and it is a very
38:39very strong statement that the PMK is
38:41making that you are covertly Sanju Varma
38:43trying to impose Hindi
38:4520 seconds you have to answer only
38:47that question ma'am please stick to it
38:49go ahead. Preeti
38:51you know please be fair to me
38:53you know I just want to tell the congress
38:55I know you
38:57studied from Columbia. I also know
38:59you were sacked from Columbia. Go and
39:01check up Sanju Varma
39:03Please avoid personal
39:05I'll have to
39:07make your point
39:09I'll give you 20 seconds start
39:11Sanju Varma was an
39:13associate director at J.P.Mahabal
39:15Bhavya Narasimha Moorthy you will not even
39:17get a chaprasi's offering J.P.Mahabal
39:19you were sacked from Columbia. Go and
39:21check up my credentials. I have done public
39:23policy economics from the University of Oxford
39:25and I've just completed my
39:27certificate program at Cornell. So don't
39:29give me Bhavya Narasimha Moorthy
39:31Okay ma'am your 20 seconds is over. I will give now
39:33I will because it's
39:3520 seconds to Bhavya Narasimha Moorthy
39:37you can use it for a personal attack which I appreciate
39:39you will not. You want me to show you
39:41my degree? How dare she lie on a national
39:43television? Such a bloody liar
39:45she is. I have
39:47a degree from Columbia. I know you're jealous
39:49that doesn't mean you'll make a statement like
39:51that. How dare you say that
39:53Alright okay I'm gonna
39:55you know between these personal
39:57attacks you've lost the opportunity I would
39:59reckon both the spokespersons from putting
40:01your party's point of view ahead. The next time
40:03I'd really appreciate that all our panelists
40:05stick to the debate. We really did
40:07we did very well till the last 20 seconds
40:09or the last 40 seconds. I appreciate
40:11all four of you for joining us.
40:13This story should deeply worry us
40:15a case has come and there are
40:17too many out there but officially India
40:19has recorded an anorexic
40:21death. Death due to an eating
40:23disorder of someone starving
40:25themselves because of weight concerns
40:27an 18 year old girl from Kerala's
40:29Kannur district died due to
40:31health complications linked
40:33to extreme dieting
40:35she followed an online weight
40:37loss program where she went only on water
40:39hid food from her parents
40:41until and unless it was too
40:43late over months she continued
40:45to starve herself when she was
40:47admitted to the hospital her blood
40:49pressure her blood sugar was really
40:51low she had breathing problems
40:53she was put on the ventilator and after 12
40:55days she
40:57passed away all due to an eating
40:59disorder. Putting the spotlight
41:01on the conversations
41:03that we really need to have when it comes down
41:05to body image and eating disorders
41:07in this country.