Noting that Hindi is just a facade, while their main aim is to impose Sanskrit, Stalin added, 'Tamil can never be destroyed by Hindi or Sanskrit, as the latter is what they are indirectly trying to impose.'
Published Feb 27, 2025 | 2:22 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 27, 2025 | 2:22 PM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Synopsis: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin criticized the imposition of Hindi, claiming it has led to the extinction of many regional languages in Northern India. He highlighted languages like Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Garhwali as examples. Stalin argued that Tamil, being an ancient language, resists such impositions.
Amid the ongoing row over Hindi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin made a fresh bout of attack against the language imposition.
On Thursday, 27 February, he claimed that the forced imposition of one language, and the push for “monolithic Hindi identity” has killed many ancient mother tongues, especially in Nothern India.
Naming a few languages, which are now less spoken, he wrote on X: “Ever wondered how many Indian languages Hindi has swallowed? Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Mundari and many more are now gasping for survival.”
Emphasising that Tamil Nadu is resisting the Hindi imposition, because the state knows “where it ends,” he added, “UP and Bihar were never just ‘Hindi heartlands.’ Their real languages are now relics of the past.”
My dear sisters and brothers from other states,
Ever wondered how many Indian languages Hindi has swallowed? Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Mundari and… pic.twitter.com/VhkWtCDHV9
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 27, 2025
DMK has been alleging that the Union government has imposed Hindi through the 3-language formula as part of the National Education Policy (NEP).
In an open letter, the chief minister wrote: “Hindi is a language that emerged a few centuries ago from the blending of Sanskrit and other languages. In contrast, Tamil is a language that is thousands of years old, considered the mother tongue that gave rise to the languages of the Dravidian family.”
Noting that Hindi is just a facade, while their main aim is to impose Sanskrit, he added, “Tamil can never be destroyed by Hindi or Sanskrit, as the latter is what they are indirectly trying to impose. This land has continuously repelled invasions from ethnic enemies for many years, all with the aim of destroying the unique culture of the Tamils. The Dravidian movement is a continuation of this long-standing tradition.”
Attacking the BJP-ruled Union government, the letter added, “Tamil’s status as a classical language that can function independently, and its resistance to being overshadowed by the dominance of northern languages, is a matter of concern to those who rule the Indian Union.”
Cautioning the implications of fast spreading Hindi language, Stalin noted, “The tragic history of the disappearance of mother tongues, as seen in regions where Hindi has spread, is a reflection of the cultural erosion that has occurred over time.”
“For instance, the native language of the people of Bihar, Maithili, has become so obsolete that the next generation can no longer learn it. Many people mistakenly think that Hindi is the mother tongue of Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India, but this is not true. The invasion of the dominant language, Hindi, has destroyed many regional languages such as Prajbhasha, Bundelkhandi, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Kannauji, Garhwali, and Khumoni.”
“And these are not the only examples. One must look for speakers of languages such as Haryanvi, Rajasthani, Marwari, Mewari, Malvi, Nimadi, Bagheli, Santali, Chhattisgarhi, Korba, and others. The indigenous languages of states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, where Hindi is the official language, have been corrupted over time. As a result, their cultural values and literary richness have disappeared without a trace,” he added.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
