Annamalai Targets Stalin Over Three-Language Policy Row, Calls His Stand ‘Orchestrated Drama’
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai launched a scathing attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday, accusing him of playing an “orchestrated drama” over the ongoing debate on the three-language policy. Annamalai’s remarks come in response to Stalin’s criticism of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s views on language and regional divisions.
In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Annamalai accused Stalin of being a “con artist” who misleads people under the guise of protecting the Constitution and federal structure.
“Thiru MK Stalin, you are a con artist masquerading as a protector of our Constitution & our federal structure. Usually, con artists scam the rich, but DMK shows no disparity; they scam both the rich and the poor,” wrote Annamalai, taking direct aim at the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu.
The BJP leader went on to highlight what he called a contradiction in Stalin’s stance on language education. He claimed that while the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister strongly opposes the three-language policy for government schools, private schools owned by his own family continue to teach three or more languages.
“The whole country now knows that the chief minister of Tamil Nadu’s family owns private schools that teach three languages & more but opposes the same policy for the state’s Government school students,” Annamalai alleged.
The three-language policy has been a contentious issue in Tamil Nadu for decades, with successive Dravidian parties, including the DMK, firmly advocating a two-language formula that includes Tamil and English while opposing the imposition of Hindi. The state has historically rejected the three-language formula promoted by the Centre, arguing that it is an attempt to push Hindi onto non-Hindi-speaking states.
Annamalai, however, claimed that Stalin’s opposition to the three-language policy was nothing more than a “political stunt” and that the chief minister was trying to project his party’s orchestrated protests as the collective voice of Tamil Nadu.
“TN CM thinks that the orchestrated drama by his partymen in pockets here and there reflects the voice of entire TN,” he said.
The Yogi Adityanath-Stalin Exchange
The war of words between the BJP and DMK escalated after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in an interview with ANI, accused Stalin of trying to create divisions based on language and region.
Responding to a question about opposition to Hindi in Tamil Nadu, Adityanath argued that language should not be a factor in dividing the country. He also emphasized the cultural significance of Tamil, calling it one of the oldest languages in India, with a history as ancient as Sanskrit.
“The country should not be divided on the basis of language or region. We are grateful to Prime Minister Modi ji for organizing the third generation of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi. Tamil is one of the oldest languages in India, and its history is as ancient as Sanskrit. Every Indian has respect and reverence for Tamil because many elements of Indian heritage are still alive in the language. So, why should we hate Hindi?” said Adityanath.
Stalin was quick to hit back at the UP Chief Minister, dismissing his remarks as “political black comedy.” In a post on X, Stalin claimed that Tamil Nadu’s strong stance on the two-language policy and fair delimitation had begun resonating across the country, rattling the BJP.
“Tamil Nadu’s fair and firm voice on two-language policy and fair delimitation is echoing nationwide—and the BJP is clearly rattled. Just watch their leaders’ interviews,” Stalin wrote.
He further criticized Adityanath, saying that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was in no position to lecture Tamil Nadu on hate.
“And now Hon’ble Yogi Adityanath wants to lecture us on hate? Spare us. This isn’t irony—it’s political black comedy at its darkest,” Stalin added.
Political Battle Intensifies Over Language Policy
The latest exchange between Annamalai, Stalin, and Adityanath underscores the deeply entrenched political differences over language policy in India. While the BJP has been advocating for the promotion of Hindi along with regional languages, Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu have long resisted any perceived attempts at linguistic imposition.
The three-language policy has been a particularly sensitive issue, with the DMK consistently opposing any move to introduce Hindi in Tamil Nadu’s school curriculum. However, Annamalai’s claim that private schools linked to Stalin’s family teach multiple languages while opposing the same for government schools has added a new dimension to the debate.
With the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon, the issue of language and regional identity is likely to remain a key political flashpoint between the BJP and DMK, setting the stage for more heated exchanges in the coming months.
