States accepting Hindi risk losing mother tongue, warns Udhayanidhi Stalin

Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language policy (Tamil and English) and has strongly protested attempts to impose Hindi by the central government, citing concerns over linguistic identity

The debate over language policy between Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK and the BJP reignited on Tuesday after Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks at a DMK-led rally in Chennai. Criticising the alleged imposition of Hindi, Udhayanidhi said, “States that accept Hindi lose their mother tongue,” reinforcing the party’s long-standing opposition to the three-language policy.

 

Udhayanidhi’s statement comes after Chief Minister MK Stalin accused Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of ‘blackmailing” Tamil Nadu by withholding Rs 2,400 crore in education funds unless the state adopts the National Education Policy (NEP).

 

“I have come here to protest against the Union Government to save the education and language of our state. I have not participated as a Dy CM; I have participated as a DMK youth wing cadre. In the Union budget 2025, UP and Gujarat have been allocated funds, and recently, the Union education minister said that only if we (Tamil Nadu) accept the three language policies will they (the Central government) provide funds to the state. We have asked for our tax money and our rights. We are asking for our rightful money... If you think you (BJP) can threaten us, it will never happen in Tamil Nadu,” he said. 

 

Dy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin warns Centre: Don't trigger another language war in TN  Read @ANI story | https://t.co/RS890MVb6Z#UdhayanidhiStalin #Tamilnadu #hindi #DMK pic.twitter.com/8m2i4H4GCy

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) February 19, 2025

Tamil Nadu insists on its language policy

 

For a long time, Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language policy (Tamil and English) and has strongly protested attempts to impose Hindi by the central government. Anti-Hindi protests were also held in the 1930s and 1960s.

 

#WATCH | Chennai: Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin says, "...We are not playing divisive politics. The Union Government, BJP is trying to force Hindi on us...Please don't impose 3-language policy." pic.twitter.com/k42k1KFO1X

— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2025

According to a report by NDTV, he also warned that Hindi imposition has led to the decline of regional languages like Bhojpuri, Bihari, and Haryanvi, arguing that Tamil Nadu will never accept the three-language formula. “Dharmendra Pradhan asks, 'why is Tamil Nadu alone opposing this while all other states have accepted?' There is a reason... several states that accepted Hindi stand to lose their mother tongues... Bhojpuri, Bihari, Haryanvi have nearly died because of infiltration by Hindi,” he said. 

BJP’s counterattack and three-language push

In response, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan defended the three-language policy, insisting Tamil Nadu’s opposition is purely for political reasons. Pradhan’s colleague and Parliamentary Affairs Minister L Murugan, denied that education funds were conditional on adopting the NEP and accused the DMK of politicising the issue, according to a report by NDTV.

 

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026

With Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2026, the BJP is set to launch a statewide campaign from March 1 to push the three-language formula.

 

However, the BJP has historically struggled in Tamil Nadu, failing to win a single Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and 2024. Its Assembly poll record is also weak—winning zero seats in 2016 and just four in 2021 despite contesting 20.

 

[With inputs from agencies]