Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Honors Language Martyrs, Reaffirms Opposition to Hindi Imposition
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday paid solemn tributes to the Language Martyrs of the state, honoring those who sacrificed their lives during the historic anti-Hindi agitation. In a powerful statement, he asserted that there is no place for Hindi in Tamil Nadu, now or ever.
Commemorating Language Martyrs Day
Marking Language Martyrs Day, the DMK President highlighted the state's unwavering commitment to its linguistic identity. A state that loved its language like its life, unitedly struggled against Hindi imposition; protested with the same intensity every time it was imposed, Stalin declared. He emphasized the enduring legacy of this resistance, stating, Language Martyrs' Day of Glorious Tribute: Neither then, nor now, nor ever will Hindi have a place here! This message was shared in a post on X, resonating with the Dravidian party's longstanding stance.
Historical Context and Video Tribute
Stalin also shared a brief video detailing the history of the anti-Hindi agitation, which reached its peak in 1965. The video commemorates the martyrs and acknowledges the contributions of late DMK stalwarts, CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi, in championing the language cause. Reflecting on this period, Stalin noted that Tamil Nadu, by leading the anti-Hindi agitation, safeguarded the right and identity of various linguistic national races in the sub-continent.
Personal Tributes and Memorial Inauguration
In a heartfelt tribute, the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude, saying, I pay my grateful respects to those martyrs who gave their precious lives for Tamil. No more life will be lost in the language war; our love for Tamil will never die! We shall oppose Hindi imposition forever. He accompanied this with hashtags #LanguageMartyrsDay and #StopHindiImposition. Additionally, Stalin paid respects at the memorial of Language Martyrs Thalamuthu and Natarasan and inaugurated their busts at the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority building in the city.
Understanding Language Martyrs
The term Language Martyrs refers to individuals who lost their lives, often through self-immolation, during the anti-Hindi protests across Tamil Nadu in 1964-65. This sacrifice has left a lasting impact, with the state adhering to the Two Language formula—Tamil and English—to this day. The DMK continues to voice concerns over Hindi imposition, particularly through the Centre's National Education Policy, 2020.
Political Unity in Tribute
The commemoration saw cross-party support, with AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam leader Vijay also paying tributes to the Language Martyrs. Palaniswami, who serves as the state Leader of Opposition, echoed the sentiment in a social media post, stating, Mother Tamil is equal to our life. This collective homage underscores the deep-rooted linguistic pride in Tamil Nadu, transcending political divides.
