The language war initiated by the Tamil Nadu government over the alleged imposition of Hindi, courtesy of the three-language formula prescribed by the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP), has intensified the North-South divide within India. Chief Minister MK Stalin’s administration accused the central government of delaying much-needed funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, asserting this was due to the state's refusal to embrace the NEP. The Centre, on the other hand, has countered these claims, denying any attempts to enforce Hindi as the dominant language of instruction.
Recent events escalated the conflict when Tamil Nadu's government decided to drop the traditional rupee symbol from its budget, reportedly because it is represented using the Devanagari script. This act spurred back-and-forth verbal skirmishes between state officials and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who described the move as "secessionist." Supporting the Centre, Pawan Kalyan, chief of the Jana Sena Party, ridiculed Tamil Nadu’s stance, questioning how it could oppose the three-language formula yet allow Tamil films to be dubbed in Hindi. The DMK retaliated with their criticisms, insisting on the importance of recognizing regional languages and identities.
The current language conflict brings to mind historical tensions from the 1950s and 60s when Tamil Nadu resisted perceived impositions of Hindi by the central government. Historically, the two-language formula of Tamil and English has been a staple of Tamil Nadu's educational framework, contrasting sharply with the CBSE and other private institutions offering multiple languages. The need for infrastructural overhaul, as articulated by state officials, is central to the resistance against adopting the three-language model.
Another layer of contention arises from the Centre's plans for delimitation, which the DMK perceives as efforts to benefit Hindi-speaking states, reinforcing the BJP's political base at the potential expense of southern states. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured those concerned about seat allocations, affirming southern states would not lose representation. This assurance, nonetheless, fell flat for DMK leaders who remain unconvinced, fearing the Centre’s promise lacks credibility and transparency.
The urgency of these issues is underscored by the sentiments expressed by MK Stalin and his deputy, Udayanidhi Stalin, who have called on citizens to increase their family sizes, urging couples to have children “immediately and in large numbers.” The plea highlights the demographic fears among leaders, particularly juxtaposed against the aging population referenced by Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who similarly suggested increasing birth rates to boost his state's younger demographic.
Addressing these divisions, Tamil Nadu's chief minister has scheduled a meeting on March 22, 2025, inviting leaders from seven other Opposition-ruled states, signifying growing solidarity against the Centre's alleged electoral manipulation—a move praised by even Naveen Patnaik of the Biju Janata Dal, typically seen as less confrontational.
Despite the meeting’s constructive intentions, it remains unclear whether it will yield any effective resistance to the Centre's policies. The DMK has mobilized its supporters to visually contest the central government’s influence, exemplified by DMK cadres blackening Hindi signs at local government institutions throughout Tamil Nadu as symbols of resistance.
These events serve as stark reminders of India’s rich linguistic traditions and the fragility of regional identities amid overarching national policies. The current language war raises significant questions: Is it feasible to balance national unity with regional diversity, or will regional languages continue to be casualties of political strife? The Tamil Nadu government's actions and the responses from the Centre suggest this confrontation is far from resolved, indicating a persistent struggle for Tamil pride and identity within the framework of India's polylingual society.
