TN BJP urges Palaniswami to support Navodaya schools in state

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu BJP has called upon AIADMK general secretary and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami to support the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in the state, asserting that the schools would prioritise Tamil as the mother tongue and significantly benefit rural and underprivileged students.

This comes after Palaniswami criticised the ruling DMK government for what he described as “feeble and ineffective arguments” before the Supreme Court in the ongoing case related to the establishment of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in Tamil Nadu.

According to Palaniswami, the state government’s legal stance has indirectly strengthened the prospect of JNVs entering Tamil Nadu -- something he reiterated his party firmly opposes. He alleged that the DMK, instead of defending the existing two-language policy and the state’s educational autonomy, offered submissions before the court that lacked conviction and preparedness.

BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad said the DMK’s opposition to Navodaya schools is rooted in “political posturing” and has now been invalidated by a recent Supreme Court verdict directing Tamil Nadu to facilitate their rollout.

In a statement on Thursday, Prasad argued that Navodaya schools have been successfully functioning across India and criticised the state government for invoking the two-language policy and claims of Hindi imposition to block Central education schemes.

According to him, the National Education Policy introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi promotes a flexible three-language model that protects the primacy of Tamil while granting students the freedom to learn English and another language of choice.

Prasad underscored PM Modi’s continued emphasis on Tamil’s cultural and linguistic heritage, referencing initiatives such as the Kashi Tamil Sangamam.

He said the Prime Minister’s consistent praise for Tamil demonstrates that the current Union government is not attempting language imposition, unlike what he described as the Congress regime of 45 years ago, which influenced late Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran’s approach to language policy. The BJP spokesperson claimed that if MGR were alive today, he would have supported the three-language policy and recognised its benefits for Tamil students.

He argued that Tamil Nadu’s political landscape has changed, and the state should adopt policies that uplift poor rural students, the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe communities, and girl children.

He further criticised the DMK government for resisting Central initiatives such as PM SHRI schools, NEET reforms and the New Education Policy, alleging that these decisions prioritise electoral interests over educational welfare.

Calling the Supreme Court verdict a “historic opportunity”, Prasad urged EPS to take the lead on the issue and rally political support for Navodaya schools, contending that their establishment would bring transformative educational benefits and ensure social justice for rural Tamil Nadu.