Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Slams Centre for Pushing Hindi, Warns of 'Language War'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday intensified his criticism of the central government over the ongoing controversy regarding the "Hindi imposition” row. Stalin argued that the forced adoption of Hindi in various states has led to the destruction of "25 native north Indian languages in 100 years." He claimed that the push for a "monolithic Hindi identity" has contributed to the extinction of these ancient languages.

Stalin also targeted the central government’s stance on the matter. The Centre had previously accused Tamil Nadu's political leaders of distorting facts to build a favourable political narrative ahead of the 2026 elections. In response, Stalin blasted the government for allegedly attacking regional languages, stating that it aimed to "destroy race and culture."

The Chief Minister outlined some of the objections his party has with the central government’s push for Hindi. One of the key issues he raised was the contradiction in the Centre’s stance on language education. He pointed out that while the government claims students in any state should be able to learn any language, Tamil is rarely offered as a subject. "Tamil is not taught anywhere except in the Andamans. There are no Tamil language teachers in Kendriya Vidyalayas," Stalin stated.

Further criticising the central government’s National Education Policy (NEP), Stalin noted that in many states, Sanskrit is given priority over other languages. "It is only Sanskrit that is prioritised under the three-language policy in most states, but Tamil is protected by the Dravidian movement," he argued.

The Chief Minister’s remarks are part of a larger tension between Tamil Nadu and the Centre over language policies. Tamil Nadu has historically been wary of the imposition of Hindi, having followed a two-language policy since 1967. This policy was introduced after violent protests erupted when the then-Congress-led central government attempted to make Hindi the official language, a move that ultimately led to the loss of power for the Congress party in Tamil Nadu.

The latest flare-up in tensions occurred after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan warned that the Centre would withhold Rs 2,400 crore in funds from Tamil Nadu if the state did not fully implement the new education policy. In response, Stalin and his son, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, accused the Centre of "blackmail." The Chief Minister issued a stern warning, stating that Tamil Nadu is prepared for another "language war."