Tamil Nadu Govt Set to Table Bill for Statewide Ban on Hindi Imposition
Digital Desk
In a significant move escalating its long-standing linguistic battle with the Centre, the MK Stalin-led DMK government in Tamil Nadu is poised to introduce a bill aimed at banning the "imposition" of Hindi within the state. The proposed legislation, discussed in an emergency meeting with legal experts Tuesday night, could lead to a prohibition on Hindi in public spheres, including films, songs and hoardings.
The potential bill is being considered during the ongoing special session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, which concludes on October 17. This development reinforces the state government's firm stance on protecting Tamil linguistic identity and its opposition to the BJP-led central government's policies perceived as promoting Hindi.
Chief Minister MK Stalin has been a vocal critic of what he calls the "forceful imposition" of Hindi. Earlier this year, his administration signaled its intent by replacing the universal rupee symbol '₹' with the Tamil 'ரூ' in the state budget documents.
The core of the dispute lies in the Three Language Policy under the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. While the Centre maintains that states and schools have the freedom to choose which three languages to teach, the Tamil Nadu government views it as a backdoor for Hindi imposition. The state has steadfastly followed a two-language policy (Tamil and English) for decades, crediting it for educational and employment success.
In a recent social media post, CM Stalin alleged that Hindi has led to the decline of 25 North Indian languages, vowing to oppose its imposition. He stated, "Hindi is a mask and Sanskrit is the hidden face."
If passed, this bill would mark one of the most definitive steps by any state government to legally curb the influence of Hindi, setting the stage for a fresh confrontation with the Centre over India's linguistic landscape.