Chennai, Feb 16 (Reporter) Unity is strength goes the saying. True to this, almost all political parties in Tamil Nadu, barring the BJP, spoke in one voice reiterating their commitment to stick to the long followed two-language formula, while unanimously strongly condemning Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's open remarks that the State will not get its funds till it accepted the three-language formula under the New Education Policy (NEP) and said it showed the fascist attitude of the BJP government at the Centre. Almost all the parties, irrespective of their political affiliations, including the ruling DMK, its allies, the main opposition AIADMK and PMK, one of the allies of the BJP, spoke in one voice on Sunday, displaying camaraderie on the key issue that has been dogging the state. All of them openly declared their commitment to protect the existing 2-language formula in the State and that the 3-language policy would be stoutly opposed an never allowed in the State, except BJP which countered them saying what is wrong in it and claimed that the state government has earlier given its assent for the NEP. Leading the State in registering his strong opposition, Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin said Mr Pradhan's remarks that the State will not get its funds till it accepted the three-language formula under the New Education Policy (NEP) was a sheer blackmail. Objecting to Mr Pradhan's remarks at Varanasi after the inauguration of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam 3-0 last evening, Mr Stalin said ‘Tamils will never tolerate the arrogance’ of imposing Hindi. Mr Pradhan said they have to come to the terms of the Indian Constitution...'rule of law'. He also sought to know from Mr Pradhan as to which provision in the Constitution has mandated the three-language policy compulsory. In a post on X, Mr Stalin said the Union Education Minister says they have to come to terms with the Indian Constitution and terms the three-language formula as the ‘rule of law’. "Can he say which provisions of the Constitution makes this mandatory?”, he sought to know. “Blackmailing Tamil Nadu with such arrogance that the state won’t be given funds (meant for education under the SSA Scheme) till it accepts the three-language formula can’t be tolerated by the Tamils,” he said with a hashtag #StopHindiImposition. "We are asking only our rights. If you talk with such arrogance as if we are asking your private property, Delhi’s arrogance will be shown the real face of the Tamils", he added. Mr Pradhan had stated that Tamil Nadu had to accept the three-language formula like other states in the country for funds to be released under the SSA scheme. He also claimed that TN had initially accepted the NEP, but had backtracked later due to political motivation. Mr Pradhan said the Centre would not release funds to TN unless it implements the NEP as done by other states that makes three-language formula implementation compulsory. He said the state government was adopting divisive tactics and questioned what's wrong in having a three-language formula where in the students could learn Tamil, English, Kannada and other languages. Joining the chorus, AIADMK General Secretary and the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami, while addressing a meeting in Vellore, said his party would never allow the 3-language formula in TN. This was the stand taken by late leaders MGR and J Jayalalithaa and there was no change in it. "We are committed to protecting the existing 2-language formula in the State", he added. AIADMK senior leader and former Minister D Jayakumar reiterated this and said the party would continue to oppose the three-language policy and imposition of Hindi in TN any form. Leaders of DMK allies, including TNCC President K Selvaperunthagai, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, also a Rajya Sabha MP, and other parties, besides the PMK and the TVK of actor Vijay strongly condemned Mr Pradhan's remarks and said there was no dilution in their stand on sticking to the 2-language formula. (ED : PICK UP SUITABLY FROM EARLIER SERIES)...////...