Stalin Warns Of 'Another Language War' Over 'Hindi Imposition', BJP Hits Back

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reaffirmed his firm opposition to the "imposition of Hindi," declaring that the state is "ready for another language war" if necessary. His comments follow rising concerns over the Centre's three-language policy.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Stalin, has consistently opposed this policy, maintaining that Tamil Nadu will continue with Tamil and English while accusing the BJP-led NDA government of attempting to enforce Hindi in the state.

Photo Credit: PTI

The ruling party frequently references the anti-Hindi protests of 1965, during which the Dravidian movement successfully resisted Hindi imposition.

When asked whether the Centre was "sowing the seeds for another language war" through its perceived attempts to promote Hindi, Stalin asserted, "Yes, certainly. We are ready for it."

The issue of language policy has long been a source of contention between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-led Union Government.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai criticised Stalin's remarks, accusing the DMK of hypocrisy regarding its language policies. In a post on X, Annamalai alleged that while Stalin claims not to oppose any language, government school students in Tamil Nadu are denied the opportunity to learn a third language, unlike those in CBSE and matriculation private schools.

"Is Mr. Stalin implying that there is no restriction on learning a third language, but if you want to learn it, you should enrol your children in CBSE or matriculation schools run by DMK members?" Annamalai questioned. He further accused the DMK of having double standards, saying there was "one rule for the wealthy and another for the poor."

Taking aim at DMK cadres protesting against Hindi imposition, Annamalai remarked, "Your party members, who are roaming around with paint cans, seem to have forgotten to clarify the difference between Hindi and English in your statement."

Following a Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat, Stalin announced that an all-party meeting would be held on March 5 to discuss the issue of delimitation. He warned that Tamil Nadu was at risk of losing eight Lok Sabha seats due to its effective implementation of family planning policies, which led to population control.

Stalin argued that the delimitation process would not only reduce Tamil Nadu's representation but also impact its ability to raise concerns on key national issues, including the National Education Policy (NEP), NEET, and central fund allocations.

"Tamil Nadu succeeded in population control through the family planning programme. Just because our population is less, we are now facing a situation where our Lok Sabha seats will be cut down. We stand to lose eight seats and as a result, we would be left with only 31 MPs instead of the current 39," he explained.