New Delhi: The President’s approval to make Hindi compulsory in CBSE and Kendriya Vidyalya has ruffled feathers with most non-Hindi speaking states accusing the Centre of suppressing other native languages.

Deputy leader of Trinamool Congress Saugata Roy alleged the move is meant to implement the BJP’s majoritarian idea based on their slogan, ‘Hindi, Hindu, and Hindustan’. “The Centre should have been more cautious before implementing the decision in non-Hindi speaking states.”

A presidential order dated March 31 had asked the HRD ministry to make serious efforts to make Hindi compulsory. “As a first step, Hindi should be made a compulsory subject+ up to standard X in all schools of CBSE and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan,” the order had said. As in February, CBSE had 18,546 schools in India and 210 in 25 other countries.

MK Stalin, working president of Tamil Nadu’s opposition party DMK, said on Tuesday, “The Centre has previously imposed Hindi on highway name-boards and newspaper advertisements. Even teachers’ day is called Guru Purnima. I warn the Centre not to sow the seeds for another anti-Hindi agitation.”

In Kerala, the move has posed a challenge as the state government had passed an ordinance on April 11, making Malayalam mandatory for all schools till Class X. With the new order, CBSE schools might have to overhaul their entire curriculum to accommodate three compulsory languages, including English, reported The Times of India.

“When the people in the north don’t even make an effort to learn any south Indian language, why should our children be forced to study a particular language?” said an official from Telangana’s education department.