CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat has criticized the Centre for its handling of southern states’ apprehensions over the National Education Policy’s (NEP) three-language formula, amid a heated debate on alleged Hindi imposition. Speaking to PTI, Karat argued that treating all languages equally, rather than imposing any one, could allow a natural “lingua franca” to emerge.

The NEP’s recommendation that students learn two native Indian languages has sparked opposition, particularly from Tamil Nadu’s DMK-led government, which has long resisted the three-language formula and remains the only state never to adopt it. This stance has fueled a verbal clash with the Centre. Karat highlighted Tamil Nadu’s historical concerns, accusing the government of insensitivity. “The insistence on the three-language formula has stoked fears of Hindi promotion,” he said.

Beyond language, Karat raised broader issues with the NEP, noting education’s status as a concurrent subject under the Constitution. “States have an equal say, but the Centre is encroaching on their domain,” he remarked, citing reservations from both Tamil Nadu and Kerala’s LDF government about the policy’s values and models.

Karat advocated for equal recognition of India’s 22 constitutionally recognized languages, emphasizing the country’s multilingual diversity. “Languages like Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, and Punjabi flourish in states larger than many European nations. They should develop naturally through social interaction, not imposition,” he said. He argued against artificially designating any language as dominant, suggesting that a widely accepted “lingua franca” could evolve organically, as English has globally. “If Hindi gains such popularity, people will embrace it—but it’s not there yet,” he added.