Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that India's National Education Policy (NEP) promotes education in mother tongues and regional languages, offering students choice rather than imposing any language. Speaking in Tamil at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam, he emphasized that India's linguistic diversity strengthens its unity and that languages are meant to unite, not divide. Pradhan described the event as a civilisational initiative under Prime Minister Modi, highlighting the deep historical and cultural connections between Kashi and Rameswaram.