'Hindi zealots are true anti-nationals': MK Stalin amid language row

In a long post on X, DMK chief MK Stalin recalled the 1967 Tamil language protests led by party founder CN Annadurai and urged Tamil Nadu to rise against the alleged 'imposition of Hindi'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday upped his tirade against the alleged 'Hindi imposition,' saying that the "true chauvinists and anti-nationals are the Hindi zealots." 

 

In a long social media post, the DMK chief recalled the 1967 Tamil language protests led by party founder CN Annadurai and urged Tamil Nadu to rise against the alleged "imposition of Hindi" by the Centre.

 

"1967: Anna sat down; Tamil Nadu rose! If any harm comes to the proud Tamil Nadu, let us roar like wildfire! Let us celebrate the victory!" he posted on X with a picture of Annadurai.

 

 

In another post on X, Stalin refered to a popular quote and stated, "When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." He went on to remind the public of the accusations directed at the DMK by "certain bigots." 

 

"Some entitled bigots brand us chauvinists and anti-nationals for the 'crime' of demanding Tamil's rightful place in Tamil Nadu," Stalin said.  Decoded: Why Tamil Nadu is engaged in a tussle with Centre over NEP

 

"The very people who glorify Godse’s ideology have the audacity to question the patriotism of DMK and its government that contributed the highest amount of funds during the Chinese Aggression, Bangladesh Liberation War, and Kargil War, while their ideological forefather is the one who assassinated 'Bapu' Gandhi," he said.

 

According to Stalin, demanding "linguistic equality" was not chauvinism. "Do you want to know what chauvinism looks like? Chauvinism is naming the three criminal laws that govern 140 crore citizens in a language that Tamils cannot even pronounce or comprehend by reading. Chauvinism is treating the state that contributes the most to the nation as second-class citizens and denying its fair share for refusing to swallow the poison called NEP (National Education Policy)," he said.

 

Further, the DMK chief said that the imposition of any language breeds division and enmity, threatening national unity.

 

"The true chauvinists and anti-nationals are the Hindi zealots who believe their entitlement is natural but our resistance is treason," he said, in a pointed remark at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Centre.  The ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu has been engaged in a tussle with the Centre, accusing it of pushing Hindi onto the state. The latest row erupted after the Centre withheld Rs 2,150 crore meant for Tamil Nadu after the MK Stalin-led government refused to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) in the state due to the mandatory three-language formula.

 

All-party meeting on delimitation

 

Besides the NEP, Stalin has also strongly opposed the proposed delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on recent population figures due to concerns that it would disproportionately reduce representation for southern states like Tamil Nadu. According to Stalin, the southern states have successfully implemented population control measures, leading to slower population growth compared to northern states. A population-based delimitation could result in a diminished number of parliamentary seats for the south, undermining their political influence.  On Wednesday, MK Stalin convened an all-party meeting on Constituency Delimitation, in which 55 parties participated. The BJP, Tamil Manila Congress, and Naam Tamilar Katchi were the notable absentees from the meeting.

 

Five resolutions were unanimously passed at the meeting, including a demand for the Centre to adhere to the 1971 census for any future delimitation. "This all-party meeting unanimously strongly opposes Delimitation based on population, which is seen as a big threat to India's federal structure and Tamil Nadu and other Southern States representation," the resolution stated.