In Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cadres blackened the Hindi lettering on government signboards at several locations, including railway stations and post offices. This act sparked a response from BJP Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai, who hit back at the ruling party, accusing it of hypocrisy regarding its stance on the three-language policy.
DMK supporters deface Hindi written on Boards of some Central Govt offices in Chennai and Railway stations to oppose alleged Hindi language imposition. pic.twitter.com/h2W194D9PN
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) February 24, 2025
On February 23, DMK members used black paint to cover Hindi text on signboards at Palakkad and Palaiyamkottai railway stations. The protests persisted on February 24, with party functionaries defacing Hindi lettering at the Alandur Post Office and a BSNL office located on GST Road in Chennai.
In response to these acts of vandalism, Annamalai took to the social media platform X, questioning why DMK leaders oppose the three-language policy while their own children study in schools that offer multiple languages. “The DMK party is a bunch of confused nincompoops who have different standards for their families and others,” he wrote, accusing the party of misleading the public.
Had seen a few misguided individuals roaming around with a can of black paint, striking Hindi Letters in opposition to the three-language formula in the New National Education Policy. We would humbly suggest that they visit the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Office with…
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) February 24, 2025
The BJP state chief also challenged Chief Minister MK Stalin to explain why government school students in Tamil Nadu are denied the option to learn a third language, while private schools run by DMK leaders offer Hindi, other Indian languages, and even foreign languages.
“Why is the right to learn a third language refused only for students studying in government schools? Is the right to learn an additional language a privilege only for those who can afford it?” he wrote.
Annamalai questioned Stalin, asking, “Did your party founder, Thiru Annadurai, not say that Tamil Nadu would be willing to adopt the Three-Language Formula if other states also implement it?” He sarcastically wrote, “Thiru @mkstalin should also bring his I.N.D.I Alliance partners to Tamil Nadu and give them also a box of black paint.”
The three-language policy, part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has been a contentious issue in Tamil Nadu, where the ruling DMK opposes what it calls “Hindi imposition.” The BJP, however, argues that the policy allows students to choose from multiple languages and does not make Hindi mandatory.
