Sitharaman wades into language row, raps DMK

AS the language war escalates, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a scathing attack on Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its opposition to the three-language policy in the New Education Policy (NEP).

- PREETHA NAIR @New Delhi

During her reply in the Lok Sabha on the discussion on supplementary demands for grants, excess grants, and the Manipur budget, Sitharaman referred to the spat between the DMK members and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his controversial remarks. "The NEP says learn your mother tongue. But the DMK wants to imagine the Centre is imposing Hindi," she said.

In a veiled reference to Dravidian ideologue Periyar, Sitharaman said DMK worships the person who described Tamil as a barbaric language whereas they want an apology from Pradhan.