'Imposing Hindi Will Affect BJP In Tamil Nadu'

'The vast majority of BJP supporters in Tamil Nadu can't speak any language other than Tamil.'
'When rural Tamil Nadu can't speak any other language than Tamil, how are they going to convince them that they have to learn Hindi?'

IMAGE: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin speaks at a protest in Chennai, February 18, 2025, condemning the central government's alleged attempt to impose a three-language policy. Photograph: Kind courtesy Udhayanidhi Stalin/X

The anti-Hindi agitation in Tamil Nadu in the 1960s was a landmark event in independent India.

When the enactment of the Official Languages Act of 1963 came into force in 1965, DMK leader C N Annadurai labelled it as the Centre's way of imposing Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states.

What followed was days of massive anti-Hindi agitation led by the DMK which had huge participation by students. It resulted in a change in the political landscape of Tamil Nadu; the end of Congress rule and the beginning of Dravidian rule.

The DMK alleges that the current Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre is now trying to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu through the National Education Policy.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin says the state won't accept the National Education Policy even if it was offered Rs 10,000 crore.

Where will this standoff lead to?

"If you look at the major Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, whether it be the AIADMK or Vijay's newly floated TVK, they have also taken a strong stance against the NEP. They are not in favour of the 3 language policy. The Opposition parties are not going to reject the stance taken by the DMK on this issue," Dr Karthick Ram Manoharan, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences, at the National Law School, Bengaluru, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier in the concluding segment of a two-part interview:

Part 1 of the Interview: '3-Language Formula Is A Burden On All Students'

In 1965, the participation of students in the anti-Hindi agitation was huge.
Do you think that kind of student participation if an anti-Hindi agitation were to happen in 2025?

We can't see such a major participation anymore. But there will be a lot of activity especially on social media.

I am also looking back at the Jallikattu protests of 2017 when it was banned. It became a state-wide emotional issue for the Tamil Nadu youth.

It was extremely surprising to see the protests because the overwhelming majority of the youth had not seen a Jallikattu performance live as it was restricted to the villages and small towns. You don't see it in any of the big cities but it was in the cities that the protests were at its high.

Now, why were the urban Tamil youth protesting?

It was a question of their identity...?

Yes, they felt their identity was under assault.

Now, if the language policy is pursued this way, I feel the Tamil youth, cutting across caste lines -- this is very important -- will mobilise.

Regarding the numbers, I am not sure. Will it be as high as the Jallikattu protest? Or, will it be lesser?

They may think that they have a friendly government in Tamil Nadu, so they should be extending support to the government.

Do you think it depends on how the DMK and the chief minister present the issue to the youth?

Definitely. Udhayanidhi Stalin has been doing a lot of campaigning among the youth.

In addition to that, some active members of the DMK team is reaching out to colleges and schools, and giving classes in history, modern Tamil politics, etc to the students.

I feel their narrative is quite strong through these outreach programmes.

It also needs to be seen how the non-supporters of the DMK respond to this issue as it is matter concerning everyone.

IMAGE: Youngsters block the Coimbatore-Nagercoil passenger train at the Thathaneri railway bridge in Madurai, January 20, 2017, as part of a protest to support Jallikattu. Photograph: PTI Photo from the Rediff Archives

So, what kind of political impact will this have in Tamil Nadu?

It will give a boost to the DMK, and also to the parties that speak about Tamil pride and regional assertion. Vijay also speaks this language.

Interestingly, if you look at the major Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, whether it be the AIADMK or Vijay's newly floated TVK, they have also taken a strong stance against the NEP. They are not in favour of the 3 language policy.

The Opposition parties are not going to reject the stance taken by the DMK on this issue. They will see to it that the DMK is accountable, and they will definitely keep the DMK on its toes.

This is the interesting thing about Tamil Nadu politics.

I also think it will affect the BJP's electoral prospects in Tamil Nadu. The vast majority of BJP supporters in Tamil Nadu can't speak any language other than Tamil.

The BJP has a strong presence in the Coimbatore region, and they are trying to expand. When rural Tamil Nadu can't speak any other language than Tamil, how are they going to convince them that they have to learn Hindi?

Of course, the BJP is saying that this is a 3-language formula and not imposition of Hindi. They say that students have the option of choosing any language as the third language. But in practice, in most of the cases, it is Hindi which is the third language.

IMAGE: Dr Karthick Ram Manoharan