Make Tamil compulsory language, medium of instruction in schools, colleges: Ramadoss

CHENNAI: Stating that there was no use in implementing "namesake schemes" to develop the Tamil language, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S Ramadoss urged the state government to make Tamil a medium of instruction and a compulsory language in educational institutions across the state.

Ramadoss claimed in a statement that the state government was implementing schemes only for advertisement purposes. "After protests, government orders were issued in 1999 making Tamil as a medium of instruction in schools up to Class 5. But the Madras High Court set aside the order and the government appealed in the Supreme Court. Even 25 years after this, the state government has failed to bring the case for hearing or pass an Act making Tamil a compulsory subject," he said.

He added that an Act to make Tamil a compulsory subject up to Class 10 was passed in 2006 after his prodding "but the Act has not been implemented till now." He also stated that schemes implemented by the Tamil Development Department like awards, nationalization of books, translations, and allocation of funds to establish Tamil Chairs are continuous schemes and were not new.

Ramadoss further added that schemes to provide houses to Tamil scholars were being used to benefit supporters of the government instead and did not help to develop the language. He also pointed out that the Tamil Development Department has not taken any steps to mandate Tamil on name boards of shops.

The government should take constructive steps to develop the Tamil language, the veteran leader urged and suggested that making Tamil a medium of instruction and a compulsory language in schools and colleges would be key to achieving that goal.

In a separate statement, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss urged the government to pass the Right to Services Act to ensure timely services to the public.