Udhayanidhi Stalin: Tamil Nadu’s Fight Made Governor Learn Tamil, Pledges to Resist Hindi Imposition

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin declared that the state’s steadfast resistance has compelled Governor R N Ravi to learn Tamil, countering what he described as pressures of Hindi imposition. Speaking at the centenary celebration of V Anaimuthu, a late leader of the Marxist-Periyarist Pothuvudaimai Katchi, in Chennai’s RA Puram, Udhayanidhi responded to Ravi’s recent remark questioning Tamil Nadu’s fight. He asserted, “It was because of Tamil Nadu’s struggle that Governor R N Ravi is now learning to speak Tamil, or else all of us would have been speaking Hindi by now.”

Udhayanidhi elaborated on the DMK’s campaign slogan, “Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win,” emphasizing the state’s commitment to social justice, state rights, and opposition to communalism, casteism, Hindi imposition, and what he termed the “fascist BJP.” He also suggested that Ravi’s comments indicate an early election campaign that would inadvertently benefit the DMK in the 2026 Assembly elections. The event, presided over by Periyarist writer Valasa Vallavan, saw participation from DMK deputy general secretary A Raja and Minister S S Sivasankar.

Taking aim at political opponents, Udhayanidhi criticized the AIADMK and its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, alleging a lack of self-respect and accusing the party of aligning with the BJP under pressure. “The BJP is unable to gain people’s support directly here, so it is riding on the AIADMK’s shoulders by intimidating them,” he said, adding that Palaniswami has “sublet” the AIADMK to others. He also took a veiled dig at Vijay’s TVK cadre, calling it an “ideology-less crow,” reinforcing Tamil Nadu’s legacy of self-respect as it celebrates the centenary of the Self-Respect Movement.

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Udhayanidhi’s remarks underscore the DMK’s resolve to uphold Tamil Nadu’s cultural and political identity ahead of the 2026 elections. As tensions with the BJP and its allies intensify, his speech signals a robust defense of the state’s autonomy and values, rallying support for a continued fight against perceived external impositions.

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