Stalin slams BJP: 'Uninstall Hindi in TN,' make Tamil an official language

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticized the BJP-led central government, demanding that Tamil be made an official language alongside Hindi and calling for the removal of Hindi from Union Government offices in Tamil Nadu. Stalin also condemned the government’s promotion of Sanskrit and Hindi, urging the Centre to prioritize Tamil Nadu’s development instead of symbolic gestures like installing the Sengol in Parliament.

In a post on social media platform X, Stalin questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to Tamil culture, stating, “If the BJP’s claim that our Hon’ble PM has great love for Tamil is true, why is it never reflected in action?” He called for more funds for Tamil language promotion and criticized the Centre for allocating more resources to Sanskrit, referring to it as a “dead language.” Stalin also opposed the use of Sanskrit-based names for government schemes and railway projects in Tamil Nadu, demanding a return to Tamil names such as Chemmozhi, Muthunagar, and Thirukkural Express.

Stalin further accused the BJP of attempting to “saffronise” Tamil cultural icons like Thiruvalluvar and called for Thirukkural to be declared India’s National Book. He criticized events such as “Hindi Pakhwadas” in Tamil Nadu and demanded immediate action to halt such initiatives. He also urged the Centre to introduce new railway projects and disaster relief funds for Tamil Nadu, asserting that these measures would demonstrate genuine support for the state rather than symbolic gestures.

Responding to Stalin’s statements, BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai challenged the DMK government’s efforts to promote Tamil beyond the state’s borders. He questioned, “What were your achievements in propagating our Tamil language beyond the borders of TN while in power in the State and the Centre?” He pointed out that the Tamil Development Centre programme was launched under the AIADMK government and asked what steps Stalin had taken to expand it.

Annamalai also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done more to promote Tamil than the DMK, accusing Stalin of wanting to keep the language confined within Tamil Nadu. “Have you at least taken half the effort taken by our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl to spread the richness of Tamil language and culture beyond TN?” he asked.