Learning a third language okay, but not at cost of English: Vaiko

MDMK MP Durai Vaiko stated learning a third language should not be at the cost of English opportunities. He welcomed the permanent Tiruchirappalli-Charlapalli train and commented on governance, TN-Union relations, and alleged Hindi imposition.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) MP Durai Vaiko said that there was nothing wrong with learning a third language in a globalised world, but stressed that it should not come at the cost of opportunities to learn English.

Vaiko was speaking to reporters after welcoming the newly converted permanent train service between Tiruchirappalli and Charlapalli at Srirangam railway station. The MP said he had consistently urged the Union Ministry of Railways to convert the special train operating between Tiruchirappalli and Charlapalli into a permanent service. Following the Centre's approval, the service has now been made permanent, benefiting thousands of passengers travelling between the two cities.

On Education Minister's Remarks

Responding to questions on Education Minister S Keerthana's remarks regarding English proficiency, Durai Vaiko said the minister had merely shared her personal experience of studying in a government school and openly acknowledged that her English proficiency was limited due to her educational background. He said the remarks reflected the current situation faced by many government school students and should not have become a controversy, while adding that greater maturity was needed in public discourse.

On State Governance

On governance, he said the people of Tamil Nadu expected a transparent administration free from corruption. Referring to the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), he said many members of the party were newcomers to politics and urged opposition parties to offer constructive suggestions instead of criticising every issue.

Support for Karur Incident Victims

On the demand to provide government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur incident, Durai Vaiko said there was nothing wrong in extending such support, especially to economically weaker families, as it would provide them with a means of livelihood.

Centre-State Cooperation

On being asked about the cordial working relationship between the Tamil Nadu and Union governments, he said political differences and administrative cooperation should be viewed separately. He noted that the state's development would be difficult without the Centre's support and said the government led by Vijay was committed to cooperating with the Union government on administrative matters while firmly protecting Tamil Nadu's rights on issues such as the two-language policy.

Responding to criticism over the use of the term "Union Government" instead of "Government of India", he said it was merely a matter of terminology and should not be turned into a major controversy.

Language Policy and Hindi Imposition Concerns

On reports that Hindi had been declared the official language in Assam, he alleged that efforts to impose Hindi and Sanskrit were intensifying and had created concerns in several northeastern states, including Assam, Manipur and Mizoram. He said there was nothing wrong with learning a third language in a globalised world, but the three-language policy should not deprive students of the opportunity to learn globally relevant languages such as English.

He added that in many states, Hindi and Sanskrit were being imposed as the third language, whereas the choice of learning those languages should be left to parents and students. "People should have love for their language, not hatred towards other languages," he said.

MDMK Stance on By-election

On the proposed by-election to the Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency, Durai Vaiko said the MDMK would not contest the election. (ANI)

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