“Political black comedy”: MK Stalin slams Yogi Adityanath's over language row

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly responded to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s criticism over the ongoing three-language debate and the upcoming delimitation exercise. Stalin described Adityanath’s comments as “political black comedy at its darkest,” accusing the BJP of being rattled by Tamil Nadu’s firm stance on the issues.

The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government has been vocal against the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP) and its three-language formula, which they claim imposes Hindi on southern states. The party has long advocated for a two-language policy that promotes Tamil and English, rejecting any form of language imposition. The BJP, in response, has accused the DMK of politicizing the issue and creating regional divides for electoral gains.

In an interview, Yogi Adityanath questioned DMK’s resistance to Hindi, stating that all Indians should embrace multiple languages instead of creating divisions. He pointed out that Tamil is an ancient and respected language, much like Sanskrit, and should not be used as a tool for political rhetoric. “The country should not be divided on the basis of language or region. We are grateful to Prime Minister Modi ji for organizing the third generation of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi,” Adityanath said.

Stalin, however, dismissed Adityanath’s remarks as misleading, reiterating that Tamil Nadu opposes the imposition of any language, not Hindi itself. He further linked BJP’s stance on the language issue to its approach toward delimitation, a process expected to take place after 2026. Stalin argued that the delimitation exercise, if conducted purely on population growth, would disadvantage southern states like Tamil Nadu, which have successfully implemented family planning policies. He warned that this could reduce the representation of these states in Parliament despite their significant contribution to India’s economy.

Taking to social media, Stalin accused the BJP of attempting to dilute the voices of southern states. “Tamil Nadu’s fair and firm voice on #TwoLanguagePolicy and #FairDelimitation is echoing nationwide—and the BJP is clearly rattled. And now Hon’ble Yogi Adityanath wants to lecture us on hate? Spare us. This isn't irony—it's political black comedy at its darkest,” he posted.

The ongoing debate highlights the deepening ideological battle between the DMK and the BJP on issues of federalism, linguistic identity, and political representation. While the Centre continues to push for a uniform policy on language and delimitation, regional parties like the DMK remain firm in their opposition, setting the stage for a larger political showdown in the coming years.