Rajya Sabha MPs from Tamil Nadu fiercely criticized the Centre on Friday for allegedly imposing Hindi on the state, escalating tensions over the National Education Policy’s (NEP) three-language formula. During a debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ functioning, MDMK chief Vaiko accused the Home Ministry of victimizing Tamil Nadu by withholding disaster relief funds due to its opposition to “Hindutva, RSS policies, and the imposition of Hindi and Sanskrit.”

Vaiko, a self-described “product of anti-Hindi agitation,” highlighted Tamil’s global reach as the mother tongue of 120 million people across 114 countries. He recalled Home Minister Amit Shah’s initial visit to Tamil Nadu, claiming Shah vowed to enforce Hindi, sparking widespread protests. “The Centre is punishing us for resisting,” he charged. AIADMK’s M Thambidurai echoed Vaiko, reiterating his party’s long-standing demand, championed by late leader Jayalalithaa, to make Tamil an official language of India alongside the existing 22, including Hindi.

The Tamil Nadu government has clashed with the Centre over the NEP’s push for a three-language system, arguing it undermines Tamil’s primacy. CPI’s Sandosh Kumar P raised unrelated concerns, alleging the Home Ministry’s anti-Maoism efforts in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region displace tribals for corporate gain, calling some encounters “fake” while clarifying his party’s opposition to Maoism.

In contrast, JD(U)’s Sanjay Kumar Jha praised the ministry’s achievements, including curbing Naxalism in Bihar, tackling terrorism, and repealing old criminal laws. Nominated MP Gulam Ali defended the government, arguing minorities faced worse riots under past Congress regimes. The debate underscored a deepening divide, with Tamil Nadu MPs framing Hindi imposition as an assault on linguistic identity and federal equity.