Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has intensified his criticism of the Centre over the alleged imposition of Hindi through the three-language policy, asserting that demanding linguistic equality is not chauvinism. In a strongly worded post on X, MK Stalin quoted the popular saying, “When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression,” directing his remarks at those who label Tamil Nadu’s stance as anti-national or chauvinistic.
The DMK leader stated that he was reminded of this quote when “some entitled bigots” accused his government of being against national unity simply for demanding Tamil’s rightful place in the state. He argued that the real chauvinism lies in naming crucial criminal laws in a language that Tamil people cannot pronounce or understand, as well as treating a major contributor to the nation’s economy as second-class citizens for opposing the National Education Policy (NEP).
Taking a sharp dig at the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, MK Stalin accused them of questioning the DMK’s patriotism while glorifying the ideology of Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin. He reminded his critics that the DMK had made significant financial contributions during the Chinese aggression, Bangladesh Liberation War, and Kargil War, reinforcing its commitment to the nation.
MK Stalin further argued that any form of linguistic imposition breeds enmity, which in turn threatens national unity. He asserted that the “true chauvinists and anti-nationals” are those who push for Hindi dominance while dismissing Tamil Nadu’s resistance as treason.
The three-language policy, as advocated in the National Education Policy, states that no language will be imposed on any state. However, the DMK government has consistently opposed it, alleging that it is a covert attempt to enforce Hindi learning across India. The BJP in Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, insists that the policy is necessary, particularly to help people communicate effectively when traveling across the country. The party argues that multilingual education can be an asset rather than a burden.
DMK leaders maintain that while children should be free to learn multiple languages, no language should be forced upon them. They emphasize that Tamils have historically excelled in various fields through a two-language education system and do not need external linguistic pressure.
State BJP chief K Annamalai has responded to MK Stalin’s attack, accusing him of hypocrisy. He pointed out that between 2006 and 2014, the government allocated significantly more funds for Sanskrit than Tamil—Sanskrit received ₹675.36 crore, whereas Tamil received only ₹75.05 crore. He questioned why MK Stalin did not raise concerns at the time when Congress leaders, including former Home Minister P. Chidambaram, had recommended measures to popularize Hindi across India.
In a countermeasure, the BJP has launched a signature campaign in support of the three-language policy, intensifying the ongoing debate over language and identity politics in Tamil Nadu.
