In the MNM’s manifesto released by its chief in Coimbatore on Friday, the party has assured that Tamil would be taught compulsorily along with English while the students could opt for any other Indian language also as part of the implementation of the three-language formula.

Tamil Nadu, which has witnessed anti-Hindi agitation, has been following the two-language formula in its schools for several decades. When the BJP government at the Centre came out with the National Education Policy 2020 with three-language formula, all the political parties in the State, including the ruling AIADMK and the principal opposition party DMK, opposed it and dubbed it as an attempt to impose Hindi and Sanskrit. Ironically, Haasan welcomed the State government decided to continue with the two-language formula in August last year following the NEP controversy.

Writer and political commentator Aazhi Senthil Nathan said that there is a difference between the three-language formula and studying multiple languages. “In our country, the three-language formula is being used by the Centre to impose Hindi on the non-Hindi speaking states. It is the view taken by the Tamil Nadu government for long and several other non-Hindi speaking states are now firmly believing the same,” he said, adding that anyone supporting the three-language formula should be opposed.

MNM had also promised to develop genetically modified crops through Tamil Nadu Agricultural University for the betterment of farmers whose dependence on pesticides would reduce. Deputy state secretary of Agricultural Wing VM Parthasarathy opposed the move and tweeted, “Somethings are not negotiable! MNM’s manifesto promising GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and fortifications are not acceptable.”