MK Stalin had opposed the draft education policy's controversial clause.

MK Stalin, the DMK chief, today said the centre's decision to revise the controversial clause in the draft education policy that required children in southern states to compulsorily learn Hindi, showed that party founder M Karunanidhi, fondly called Kalaignar, still lived on. In his tweet, he also vowed his party would guard the Tamil language from the "imposition of Hindi".

The old version of the government's three-language plan had said Hindi and English would continue to be among the three languages students would study in schools, be it in Hindi or non-Hindi speaking states. The draft policy, which was viewed as imposition of Hindi, had sparked a massive uproar in southern states, prompting the central government to amend the clause.

"In keeping with the principle of flexibility, students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying may do so in Grade 6 or Grade 7, so long as they are able to still demonstrate proficiency in three languages...," says the revised draft.

MK Stalin and his party were celebrating his father M Karunanidhi's 95th birth anniversary. After presiding over a meet of his party district secretaries, parliamentarians, and legislators, he said in a tweet: "On this day, as we celebrate the birth anniversary of Thalaivar (leader) Kalaignar (late Karunanidhi), the day for Tamil language. The Central government's withdrawal of Hindi as a compulsory subject clause on this very day, goes on to show that Kalaignar lives on."

"Let us guard mother Tamil always breaking up the hegemonic imposition of Hindi," he added.

The party passed a resolution that it would fight against any decision that may imperil the two-language formula in force in Tamil Nadu for five decades.

The subject of Hindi being taught in schools in South India has been an emotive one, particularly in Tamil Nadu; the region saw anti-Hindi protests from 1937 to 1940 and again in 1965.

The DMK had come to power in 1967 under the leadership of Dravidian stalwart and party founder CN Annadurai. A two-language formula of Tamil and English was being followed in Tamil Nadu since 1968.

With inputs from PTI