Chennai: DMK president M K Stalin alleged on Monday that the Centre's move on dropping the clause on compulsory Hindi learning in the draft National Education Policy was aimed at deceiving Tamil Nadu and demanded an explanation over it.

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

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

Recalling the demonstration led by Karunanidhi during the pre-Independence era and the 1965 protests against Hindi in Tamil Nadu, he said a situation was now emerging for reprising such massive agitations.

"The announcement (by the Centre on dropping the contentious clause mandating Hindi learning) has been made with an intent to deceive and if there is no explanation (assuring that Hindi will not be thrust) 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 told party workers.

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

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Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal board's class 10 results were declared on Friday, with 86.83 per cent of the total 9.71 lakh candidates passing the examination, an official said.

In last year's Madhyamik Pariksha, 86.56 per cent of the 9.84 lakh students were declared successful, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education president Ramanuj Ganguly said.

This year's examination was held from February 2 to February 12 at over 2,600 centres across the state, he said.

Abhirup Bhadra of Sarada Vidyamandir in Uttar Dinajpur district bagged the first rank, securing 698 of 700 marks. Priyotosh Mukhopadhyay of Sarojinidevi Saraswati Sishu Mandir in Birbhum was declared second with 696 marks. The third rank was shared by three students.

A total of 131 students secured the top 10 ranks, of whom 28 were girls.

Kalimpong recorded the highest percentage at 95.01, followed by Purba Medinipur at 94.02 and Kolkata at 92.31.