Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin delivered a strong critique of what he called “Hindi imposition” during a Language Martyrs Day event in Chennai. Paying homage to those who sacrificed their lives in the 1960s anti-Hindi agitations, he reiterated the DMK’s unwavering resistance to the three-language policy. Udhayanidhi argued that Hindi’s dominance in northern states has systematically erased several native mother tongues, threatening regional identity and heritage.

He pointed to specific examples where local languages have faded into obscurity after Hindi’s widespread adoption. “Haryana’s mother tongue is Haryanvi, but since Hindi entered, it has gone missing. Bihar’s mother tongue is Bihari, Chhattisgarh’s is Chhattisgarhi, and Uttar Pradesh’s is Bhojpuri. Hindi has devoured many languages,” Udhayanidhi stated. He credited this linguistic shift to the gradual replacement of regional dialects as primary spoken and cultural mediums in everyday life.

Udhayanidhi described the three-language formula as a deliberate strategy to enforce Hindi nationwide. He praised Chief Minister MK Stalin’s steadfast opposition, rooted in the legacy of former leaders like Kalaignar Karunanidhi and Peraringnar Anna, who championed Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy of Tamil and English. This approach, he said, has fueled the state’s remarkable strides in education, industry, healthcare, and global connectivity without compromising its cultural core.

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Echoing his deputy, CM MK Stalin accused the Centre of pursuing a “cultural invasion” through the National Education Policy, attempting indirect Hindi promotion in schools and colleges after earlier direct efforts failed. He highlighted the withholding of ₹3,458 crore in central funds as punishment for Tamil Nadu’s refusal to adopt the three-language model, vowing that no amount of financial pressure would force compliance. “We are not slaves to surrender to threats using power and money,” Stalin declared.

With Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching in a few months, the language debate has intensified as a key electoral issue. The ruling DMK positions itself as the defender of Tamil pride, while the BJP maintains that learning an additional Indian language benefits students without amounting to imposition. Even AIADMK, the BJP’s ally in the state, opposes the three-language policy, underscoring its deep sensitivity in Tamil politics.

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