NEW DELHI: Union minister L Murugan on Tuesday responded to Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s recent remarks on Hindi imposition, questioning the DMK leader’s commitment to Tamil identity. “Is Udhayanidhi Stalin a Tamil name? They should first keep Tamil names in their own family,” Murugan said.
He added that no one is forcing Hindi in Tamil Nadu, and those willing to learn it should be free to do so without objection.Murugan further criticized the DMK, saying the party speaks of social justice but doesn’t follow it. He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been promoting Tamil globally, while Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin is “misleading people” for political gains.
Udhayanidhi’s opposition to Hindi imposition
Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks, on which Murugan responded, were made during a public event in Dindigul on Monday. He alleged that indirect attempts were being made to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu, citing the omission of the word “Dravidam” from the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu at a recent Doordarshan Kendra event as an example. “As long as Tamil people and DMK cadres exist, no one can touch Dravidam, Tamil, or Tamil Nadu,” Udhayanidhi vowed.
The language issue flared up further when chief minister MK Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 18, criticizing the celebration of Hindi Month in Chennai. Stalin accused the central government of attempting to undermine the status of regional languages, stating that such celebrations should be avoided in non-Hindi speaking states or accompanied by equal recognition of local languages.
Tensions escalated when the omission of the word “Dravidam” during the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu at the Hindi Month event, presided over by Governor RN Ravi, sparked widespread protests. DMK leaders, including Stalin, accused the Governor of disrespecting Tamil culture. Other opposition leaders, such as AIADMK’s Edappadi K Palaniswami and PMK founder S Ramadoss, also condemned the incident, calling it part of an ongoing effort to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu.
Governor RN Ravi responded to the allegations, saying that he recites the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu with “pride and precision” at every event and accused the DMK of twisting the facts. Union minister Murugan supported the Governor, accusing the DMK of spreading false narratives to stir public sentiment.