Noisy scenes in Pondy Assembly over three-language policy opposition stages walkout

Puducherry, March 13 (PTI) The Puducherry Assembly witnessed noisy scenes on Thursday over the Centre's three-language policy with the opposition members demanding that the AINRC-led NDA government in the union territory spell out its stance on the issue.
As soon as the House resumed debate on the motion of thanks to Lt Governor's address (delivered on March 10) the opposition Congress legislator M Vaithianathan rose to speak and accused the Centre of "trying to impose" Hindi through National Education Policy.
    He, along with other DMK members in the opposition, demanded that the territorial government clarify its stance on whether it follows a two-language or three-language policy.
    Home Minister A Namassivayam refuted the Congress legislator’s claim, asserting that the central government was not imposing Hindi through the NEP.
    He further stated that the territorial government had adopted a three-language policy, allowing students to learn a third language of their choice if they wished.
    "There is no imposition of Hindi, and this issue should not be politicised," the Minister told the Congress legislator.
    Namassivayam also reminded Vaithianathan that it was during the Congress rule at the Centre in the 1960s that Hindi imposition led to widespread agitation in Tamil Nadu.
    "Talk to your party high command and find out how the anti-Hindi imposition agitation erupted in Tamil Nadu," he remarked.
    Amid the heated exchange, the House descended into chaos. Following the Home Minister’s clarification that the territorial government follows a three-language policy, all legislators from the DMK and its ally, the Congress, staged a walkout.
    However, they returned to the House a few minutes later.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)