In a recent show of solidarity against what they perceive as Hindi imposition, Maharashtra's political figures, Uddhav and Raj Thackeray, have united, prompting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to commend their efforts and vow to "teach BJP a lesson". Stalin has declared that the DMK has already made language and Hindi imposition key features of its 2026 assembly elections campaign.
Stalin stated that the DMK's struggle to protect the Tamil language against the "imposition of Hindi" has now transcended boundaries and is "swirling like a storm" in Maharashtra. He also warned that the BJP should atone for its “betrayal” against Tamil and Tamil Nadu, or the saffron party and its ally AIADMK will be “taught a lesson that they will never forget”.
This isn't the first time Stalin has voiced his concerns about the BJP's alleged attempts to promote Hindi. He has consistently criticized the central government, accusing it of trying to impose Hindi and Sanskrit, thereby undermining the Tamil language and culture. Stalin has been a vocal opponent of the National Education Policy (NEP), calling it a "saffronisation policy" designed to promote Hindi at the expense of other regional languages. He sees the NEP and the three-language policy as tools to impose Hindi and Sanskrit on non-Hindi speaking states.
Stalin has also accused the BJP of attempting to create a nation with one religion and one language. He has pledged to continue what he calls the "language war" to protect Tamil identity and prevent the imposition of Sanskrit or Hindi.
The issue of language imposition is a sensitive one in Tamil Nadu, with a history of anti-Hindi agitations. Stalin has evoked the spirit of the 1965 protests against Hindi, suggesting that a similar massive agitation might be necessary to counter the current perceived threat. He has also criticized the central government for withholding funds from Tamil Nadu for refusing to implement the three-language policy, which he sees as an indirect way to impose Hindi and Sanskrit.
Stalin's opposition to Hindi imposition is not merely emotional but also intellectual and logical, rooted in the desire to protect India's pluralistic culture. He claims the struggle is to protect the rights of all non-Hindi speaking states.
The recent coming together of the Thackeray brothers in Maharashtra to oppose Hindi imposition has energized Stalin and reinforced his determination to fight against what he sees as linguistic hegemony. He has expressed excitement over the rally held in Mumbai led by Uddhav Thackeray, acknowledging the questions raised by Raj Thackeray regarding the central government's prioritization of Hindi and Sanskrit.
