DMK STUDENTS PROTEST: Black Flags Fly at Union Minister in Chennai

The DMK Students Wing and Youth Wing turned Chennai’s streets into a battleground Friday morning, hurling black flags and fierce slogans at Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar during his visit to IIT Madras. Kicking off near Valluvar Kottam at 9 AM IST, the protest—joined by the Federation of Student Organisations-Tamil Nadu (FSO-TN)—was a roaring rejection of the Centre’s three-language policy and its alleged chokehold on Tamil Nadu’s education funds.

Led by DMK students’ secretary C.V.M.P. Ezhilarasan, the cadres swarmed Majumdar’s route, enraged over the National Education Policy (NEP) and the stalled ₹2,152 crore in Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds. Various onlookers caught the chaos—black flags flapping as protesters accused the BJP of strangling Tamil Nadu’s autonomy. Local media flagged on February 27 that Majumdar’s trip lit this fuse, with FSO-TN crowing that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dodged a similar visit fearing the heat.

Police swooped in, detaining some agitators as the din peaked, though calm held as Majumdar pressed on with his IIT gig, undeterred. The protest dovetailed with CM M.K. Stalin’s video blast earlier today, slamming language imposition and delimitation—fueling the DMK’s defiance. X posts buzzed with support, tying this to Tamil pride and a broader anti-Centre grudge. With tempers still raw, Chennai’s showdown signals a fight far from over.