Chennai/New Delhi- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin intensified his criticism of the Centre over the ongoing ‘Hindi imposition’ debate on Thursday, alleging that the forced adoption of the language in northern states had led to the disappearance of 25 native languages in the past century. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed his remarks as “silly.”
“The push for a monolithic Hindi identity is what kills ancient languages. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were never ‘Hindi heartlands’… their real languages are now relics of the past,” Stalin said, further escalating the friction between Tamil Nadu and the Centre over language policies.
Stalin vs Centre Over Language Policy
In a post on X, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader accused the Centre of “attacking languages to destroy race and culture” and reiterated his party’s opposition to the alleged imposition of Hindi. He claimed that despite the government’s assurances of linguistic inclusivity, Tamil was not being offered as a subject in most states.
Stalin also slammed the New Education Policy (NEP), arguing that most states prioritize Sanskrit over Tamil and other regional languages under its controversial three-language formula, which mandates students to learn their mother tongue, English, and a third language of choice.
“Hindi is not Uttar Pradesh’s mother tongue… UP lost Bhojpuri, Bundelkhandi (Bundeli). Uttarakhand lost Kumaoni. Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh have lost their native languages,” he asserted.
Centre Dismisses Allegations
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, speaking to NDTV, accused Stalin and the DMK of creating a “false narrative” for political gain ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
“Nowhere in the NEP have we suggested any particular language will be imposed on any state. This is an unnecessary political controversy,” Pradhan said.
His comments came after he warned that Tamil Nadu could lose ₹2,400 crore in education funds if it refuses to fully implement the NEP. Stalin and his son, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, hit back, calling it “blackmail” and warning that Tamil Nadu is “ready for another language war.”
Tamil Nadu has historically opposed the imposition of Hindi, sticking to a two-language policy (Tamil and English) since 1967 after violent anti-Hindi protests led to the Congress losing power in the state.
Political Fallout: Actor Quits BJP, Joins Vijay’s Party
Amid the language row, actor Ranjana Natchiyaar resigned from the BJP after more than eight years and joined Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the newly launched party of popular actor Vijay.
Vijay, who is emerging as a key political player, criticized both the DMK and the BJP, calling their standoff over NEP a “staged drama”.
With political tensions rising in Tamil Nadu ahead of elections, the language debate is expected to remain a flashpoint between the ruling DMK and BJP in the coming months.
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