CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed his strong opposition to the celebration of Hindi-oriented events in non-Hindi-speaking states, highlighting the concerns in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter comes in the wake of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan, which are being combined with the Hindi Month Celebrations on October 18, 2024. The event is to be presided over by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi.
In his letter, the DMK chief emphasised, “I write to bring to your kind attention regarding the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan being combined with the culmination of Hindi Month celebrations. This event is being presided over by the Governor of Tamil Nadu.” Stalin pointed out that the Constitution of India does not recognise any language as the national language and that Hindi and English are only designated for official purposes such as legislation, judiciary, and communication between the Union and state governments.
Stalin raised concerns over what he viewed as an attempt to belittle other languages by giving special prominence to Hindi. He said, “In a multilingual country like India, according special place to Hindi and celebrating Hindi Month in non-Hindi speaking states is seen as an attempt to undermine other regional languages.”
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The Chief Minister suggested that Hindi language-oriented events should be avoided in non-Hindi speaking states. However, if the Union government insists on holding such events, Stalin proposed that local language month celebrations should also be held with equal enthusiasm. “The Government of India can organize special events to celebrate the richness of all the Classical languages it has recognized, in their respective states. This approach could foster cordial relationships among all regions,” he added.
In a related development, Stalin also objected to the omission of the phrase “Dravida Nal Thirunaadum” from the Tamil anthem during a function attended by Governor Ravi. He called it a violation of the Tamil Nadu law. In a tweet, Stalin criticised Governor Ravi, stating, “The Governor, who should abide by the law of the land, violates it. He is unfit for the post. In the name of celebrating Hindi, the Governor is belittling the sentiments of the Tamil people.”
Stalin further urged the Centre to recall Governor Ravi, accusing him of continuously dishonoring Tamil Nadu and its people. “The Centre should recall the Governor as he has been dishonoring the people of Tamil Nadu and Tamils,” Stalin said.
Responding to the criticisms, Governor RN Ravi defended his stance at the Doordarshan event, asserting that “Hindi is not imposed on anyone. All languages in the nation must be celebrated.” He further stated, “Plans to break away Tamizhagam from Bharat won’t succeed.”
The DMK has been known for raising the issue of Hindi imposition to divert attention from other challenges, according to its critics. Opponents argue that the DMK’s real intentions are not about protecting the Tamil language. “They have done very little to develop Tamil, aside from slogans and political rhetoric,” critics stated. They pointed out that several DMK leaders, including Stalin’s daughter and other ministers, run educational institutions that teach Hindi.
A senior minister, Durai Murugan, also highlighted the importance of Hindi in national politics, saying, “If you know Hindi, you can take part in debates in Parliament. But if you know only Tamil, your political career will likely be limited to the state.”
The critics accused the DMK of holding a “dual stance” on Hindi, stating that the party has historically used the issue of Hindi imposition for political survival. They recalled how the DMK exploited the anti-Hindi sentiment in 1965, leading to protests and arson incidents across Tamil Nadu.
