Senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan was detained by the Greater Chennai Police on Thursday while leading a signature campaign in MGR Nagar.

The incident occurred after a heated exchange between police officers and BJP supporters. The signature campaign was organised to rally support for the controversial three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP). The Tamil Nadu BJP unit launched the signature campaign, with state president K. Annamalai, Soundararajan, and several other senior leaders participating.

The participation of other senior party members and supporters made it a large-scale movement. Speaking on the issue, Soundararajan questioned the state's opposition to the three-language policy, stating that learning an additional language could open up better job and educational opportunities for students.

She questioned, "Why are students in government institutions being denied the opportunity to learn another language that could enhance their career prospects?" The senior BJP leader further said, "Private institutions are already following the three-language policy, but the government is enforcing a two-language system in public schools."

She further emphasised that the BJP wants the NEP to be implemented uniformly across central board, state board, and government school examinations to ensure equal opportunities for all students. The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister and DMK President M. K. Stalin, has strongly opposed the NEP 2020, particularly its three-language formula. The DMK alleges that the policy was an attempt by the Centre to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu. In a letter to party members, CM Stalin reiterated his stance, arguing that Hindi is being used as a facade for promoting Sanskrit.

"If Tamil Nadu accepts the trilingual policy, our mother tongue will eventually be ignored, and there will be a push towards Sanskritisation," CM Stalin warned.