DMK president M.K. Stalin has alleged that the Centre’s move to drop the clause on compulsory Hindi learning in non-Hindi-speaking states in the draft National Education Policy was aimed at deceiving Tamil Nadu and demanded an explanation.

He sought a categorical assurance that Hindi would not be thrust on the southern state.

Presiding over a programme to celebrate the 96th birth anniversary of his father and DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi in Chennai, Stalin said that in the absence of such an explanation, Tamil Nadu would witness a massive agitation on the lines of the 1965 stir to oppose Hindi.

“The announcement (by the Centre) has been made with an intent to deceive and if there is no explanation (assuring that Hindi will not be thrust on Tamil Nadu) in two to three days, the leaders of the alliance partners here will get together, decide and following that, Tamil Nadu will witness a massive agitation. Be prepared,” Stalin said.

The DMK chief alleged that the BJP-led Centre was staging a drama on the language issue after seeing the huge opposition in Tamil Nadu to the proposal in the draft National Education Policy on Hindi learning.