Madurai: Amit Shah Hails Tamil As 'One Of India’s Greatest Languages', Apologises For Not Knowing It | WATCH

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during an address in Madurai on Sunday, described Tamil as "one of the greatest languages of India" and expressed regret for not being able to deliver his speech in the language.

While speaking to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in the Tamil Nadu city, Shah began with an apology. "...I apologise to the party workers of Tamil Nadu as I cannot talk to them in one of the greatest languages of India, Tamil..." he said.

Photo Credit: PTI

He also offered a strong message of encouragement to BJP workers, assuring them that the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) would be defeated in the 2026 elections and replaced by a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government comprising the BJP and AIADMK.

"The NDA government of the BJP-AIADMK alliance will be formed here in 2026. I live in Delhi, but my ears are always on Tamil Nadu. MK Stalin says that Amit Shah cannot defeat DMK. He is right. It's not me, but the people of Tamil Nadu will defeat you," Shah stated.

His remarks come at a time of heightened tensions between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government over language policy. The MK Stalin-led administration has accused the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi through the proposed three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP), sparking a fierce war of words earlier this year.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clashed repeatedly over the implementation of the NEP. Stalin alleged that the Centre was using funding as leverage, claiming, "the Union government is sowing the seeds of another language war, and Tamil Nadu is ready for it."

Language politics has long been a sensitive issue in the state, which experienced significant anti-Hindi protests during the 1960s.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Pradhan has insisted that the NEP "upholds the principle of linguistic freedom" and "does not advocate the imposition of any language" on the states.

He urged Stalin to "not politicise education" and to "rise above political differences".