Tamil Nadu CM Stalin blames Union Education Minister, says Dravidam does not take dictations from Delhi, ‘it sets the course for nation to follow’

M.K. Stalin criticizes Union Education Minister for threatening Tamil Nadu with Hindi imposition, asserting state's autonomy and resistance against colonialism.

Accusing Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of provoking Tamil Nadu by threatening it to implement the three language formula, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday said “Dravidam” does not take dictations from Delhi. Instead, it sets the course for the nation to follow. He added those who tried to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu have either been defeated or later changed their stance and aligned with DMK.

“The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside. It was the Union Education Minister who provoked us to write this series of letters when we were simply doing our job. He forgot his place and dared to threaten an entire State to accept Hindi Imposition, and now he faces the consequences of reviving a fight he can never win. Tamil Nadu will not be blackmailed into surrendering,” Mr. Stalin posted on X, referring to his series of letters to DMK cadres on alleged Hindi imposition.

Also read | What are Tamil Nadu’s issues with the NEP 2020?

Calling it as “the biggest irony” Mr. Stalin said Tamil Nadu, which rejects the National Education Policy, 2020, has already achieved many of its goals, which the policy aims to reach only by 2030. “This is like an LKG student lecturing a PhD holder...Now the BJP’s circus-like signature campaign for the three-language formula has become a laughing stock in Tamil Nadu. I challenge them to make this their core agenda in the 2026 Assembly elections and let it be a referendum on Hindi imposition. History is clear…Tamil Nadu will not tolerate Hindi colonialism replacing British colonialism,” he said.

“From the names of schemes to awards of the Union government institutions, Hindi has been imposed to a nauseating extent, suffocating non-Hindi speakers, who are the majority in India. Men may come, men may go. But even long after the dominance of Hindi is shattered in India, history will remember that it was DMK that stood as the vanguard,” he added.