New Delhi, Apr 26 (NDTV): Union Minister Smriti Irani's "request" to IITs or Indian Institutes of Technology to teach Sanskrit has provoked sharp reactions from opposition parties.

Manish Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, mocked it in tweets, saying computer language should be declared "anti-national".

Ms Irani, the Education Minister, told Parliament yesterday that IITs have been asked to tech Sanskrit to facilitate the study of science and technology as reflected in its literature.

She cited the report of a panel that had suggested that IITs "may facilitate study of science
and technology as reflected in Sanskrit literature along with inter-disciplinary study of Sanskrit and modern subjects."

Parties like the Left and Congress have alleged an attempt to sneak in the agenda of the RSS or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the mentor of the ruling BJP.

"Why only Sanskrit? Why not Tamil? It's the RSS agenda and the government is working on it. The government should take Parliament into confidence as this is a policy matter," said Left parliamentarian D Raja.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said: "I don't think an IIT engineer will need Sanskrit in his profession. It is not right to force something like this."