Vijay fires Centre over 3-language policy

Chennai: Over the Centre’s implementation of a new three-language policy as part of the National Education Policy (NEP), Tamil superstar-turned-politician Vijay slammed the BJP-led administration. President of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam called the move "authoritarian" and "anti-democratic". He said that the implementation of the language policy would undermine the “autonomy” of states. He also strongly condemned the alleged blocking of the Vikatan website, one of Tamil Nadu’s leading media outlets.IANS reported.

“What is the rationale behind enforcing a three-language policy if it only serves to erode the autonomy of states? This is a direct violation of India’s federal structure,” he stated.

He further accused the Central government of "interfering" in regional language policies, calling it an "attack" on the rights of the people and the sovereignty of states.

On the blocking of Vikatan, “The freedom of the press—the fourth pillar of democracy—must be protected at all costs. If there are concerns about the content published by a media house, the appropriate course of action is to seek legal recourse, not to resort to draconian measures that suppress free expression,” he asserted.

Expressing concern that the Union government may be behind the website’s restriction, Vijay warned that such actions represent a disturbing trend of silencing dissent and curbing freedom of speech.

“Instead of resorting to authoritarian tactics, the government should engage in dialogue and resolve disputes through the legal system,” he argued.

Describing these developments as part of a broader authoritarian trend, Vijay accused the Union government of adopting “fascist policies”.

“The Centre’s interference in state language policies, its public threat to withhold funds for Tamil Nadu, and the blocking of Vikatan’s website all point toward a dangerous pattern of undemocratic practices that undermine constitutional rights and weaken the foundations of democracy,” he said.

Reaffirming TVK’s commitment to fighting such “authoritarian actions”, Vijay said: “TVK will always stand by the people and will strongly oppose any fascist tendencies, whether they come from the Union government or the state government.”

He vowed that his party would continue to resist any attempts to suppress democratic freedoms and would remain a strong advocate for the protection of people’s rights.