National Desk: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President M.K. Stalin has reiterated that his party does not oppose the Hindi language itself, but strongly resists any attempt to impose it on the people of Tamil Nadu. In a letter addressed to party cadres on Wednesday, Stalin emphasized that self-respect is the defining identity of Tamils and warned against any forcible imposition of Hindi.
"For those who ask why the DMK continues to oppose Hindi, let me humbly answer—because you are still imposing it on us," Stalin stated.
"We Will Not Resist If You Do Not Impose It"
Stalin made it clear that the DMK's opposition is only against forced imposition. "If you do not impose Hindi, we will not oppose it. We will not erase Hindi words in Tamil Nadu," he said, asserting that Tamil pride is non-negotiable. His remarks come amidst the ongoing language controversy in Tamil Nadu, with the DMK accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of pushing Hindi through the Three-Language Formula in the National Education Policy (NEP). The central government, however, has denied these allegations. The issue has led to a heated war of words between the DMK and the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, led by state party chief K. Annamalai.
Recalling the Anti-Hindi Agitations of 1937-39
In his letter, Stalin reminded his party workers of the historic 1937-39 Anti-Hindi Agitation, in which prominent leaders, including Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, actively participated. He also addressed criticisms from BJP leaders regarding the erasure of Hindi signage in railway stations, arguing that the central government should apply language inclusivity across all states.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan must answer this: Are railway signboards in Uttar Pradesh written in Tamil or other South Indian languages for the benefit of travelers visiting Prayagraj’s Kashi Sangam and Kumbh Mela?" Stalin questioned.
"Tamils Do Not Consider Any Language an Enemy"
Stalin dismissed BJP’s allegations of anti-Hindi sentiment in Tamil Nadu, asserting that Dravidian ideology is not against any language but opposes imposition. "Tamils have never treated any language as an enemy, nor have they destroyed any language. But if any language tries to dominate Tamil, it will never be accepted," he declared.
Stalin cited the contributions of earlier Dravidian leaders like Pitty Theagarayar, who respected Sanskrit but never compromised on Tamil identity. He further criticized the central government’s alleged betrayal of Tamil Nadu, drawing parallels to the anti-Hindi resistance led by the Justice Party in the 1930s.
"Tamil Nadu's Two-Language Policy Has Proven Successful"
Highlighting Tamil Nadu’s bilingual policy (Tamil and English), Stalin pointed out that the state has achieved remarkable progress in school education, higher education, skill development, and employment opportunities. He accused the BJP government of attempting to undermine Tamil Nadu’s achievements and vowed to take all necessary steps to protect Tamil identity and interests.
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