Is Tamil Nadu preparing for ‘language war’ again; Why Stalin’s warning?
#News Bureau February 26,2025
Is the atmosphere of ‘language war’ being created again? At least this is what Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has warned. Stalin, who has been continuously speaking against imposition of Hindi, has said that if needed, the state is ‘ready for another language war’. The way the latest language policy is being opposed has brought back memories of the anti-Hindi movement that started decades ago in Tamil Nadu.
The BJP has also reacted strongly to Stalin’s warning. Before knowing what Stalin has said and what response Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai has given to this, let us know which earlier ‘language war’ Stalin has reminded of in his warning.
The history of anti-Hindi movement in Tamil Nadu is very old. In the year 1937, when the Indian National Congress government was formed in Madras province and the head of the government Chakravarti Rajagopalachari tried to make Hindi compulsory, an anti-Hindi movement was led by the leader of the Dravidian movement ‘Periyar’.
The movement was so big and influential then that the government had to bow down. After this, in the 50s and 60s, when there was an alleged attempt to impose Hindi, there was a massive movement. There was violence in many places. Some people also lost their lives in the violence. Tamil Nadu has always opposed the proposal to make Hindi the national language.
It is believed that the Dravidian movement was also the reason for the formation of the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu. All the Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu have been opposing the attempt to make Hindi compulsory since the beginning. All the leaders like Periyar, Annadurai, MGR, Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha have opposed making Hindi compulsory in Tamil Nadu. The Dravidian parties are so opposed to Hindi being written on the signboards and direction boards on the highways in Tamil Nadu.
The history of anti-Hindi movement in Tamil Nadu is very old. In the year 1937, when the Indian National Congress government was formed in Madras province and the head of the government Chakravarti Rajagopalachari tried to make Hindi compulsory, an anti-Hindi movement was led by the leader of the Dravidian movement ‘Periyar’.
The movement was so big and influential then that the government had to bow down. After this, in the 50s and 60s, when there was an alleged attempt to impose Hindi, there was a massive movement. There was violence in many places. Some people also lost their lives in the violence. Tamil Nadu has always opposed the proposal to make Hindi the national language.
It is believed that the Dravidian movement was also the reason for the formation of the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu. All the Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu have been opposing the attempt to make Hindi compulsory since the beginning. All the leaders like Periyar, Annadurai, MGR, Karunanidhi, Jayalalitha have opposed making Hindi compulsory in Tamil Nadu. The Dravidian parties are so opposed to Hindi being written on the signboards and direction boards on the highways in Tamil Nadu.
However, the Centre has advocated a three-language policy and this has created a stir in Tamil Nadu politics. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led by MK Stalin has consistently opposed the three-language policy.
The DMK has been maintaining that Tamil Nadu will continue to have Tamil and English. It has accused the BJP-led NDA government of trying to impose Hindi on the state.
Stalin was addressing reporters after a Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat. When asked if the central government was “sowing the seeds of another language war” through its alleged attempts to impose Hindi, Stalin replied, “Yes, definitely. We are ready for it,” India Today reported.
The language policy has long been a bone of contention between the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and the BJP-led Central government. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai hit back at Stalin’s remarks, accusing the DMK of having double standards when it comes to the language policy. In a post on @x, Annamalai alleged that Stalin claims not to oppose any language but government school students in Tamil Nadu are not given the opportunity to learn a third language on the lines of CBSE and matriculation private schools.
“Does Mr Stalin mean that there is no bar on learning a third language but if you want to learn it, you should get your children enrolled in CBSE or matriculation schools of DMK people?” Annamalai questioned. He further claimed that the DMK has double standards, with one rule for the rich and another for the poor.
