In a renewed spark of the North versus South debate, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has allegedly made controversial remarks where he is quoted saying that Hindi speakers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP) who migrate to Tamil Nadu engage in menial jobs such as construction work and cleaning toilets. BJP leaders condemned the comments, questioning Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's stance on the matter as his party JD(U) is a constituent of the I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc with the DMK.
Sharing the clip of Dayanidhi Maran's comments, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala stated, "Once again, DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran attempted to trigger the north-south debate."
He referred to the recent controversy involving DMK MP Senthil Kumar's objectionable remarks calling North Indian states as "Gaumutra states" in Parliament and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's earlier comment, stating that Telangana DNA was superior to Bihar DNA.
"Will Nitish Kumar, Tejaswi Yadav, Lalu Yadav, Congress, SP Akhilesh Yadav all pretend that this isn’t happening? When will they take a stand?" Poonawala posted on X.
Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh also slammed the Opposition saying, "DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran has said that Hindi-speaking people from UP/Bihar come to Tamil Nadu and clean streets and toilets. Do Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav agree with their coalition partner's opinion on Hindi speakers? They should clarify why DMK and the INDIA bloc have so much hatred for Hindi-speaking people."
DMK, being part of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc—an opposition alliance including JD(U), RJD, and Samajwadi Party—prompted BJP leaders to seek clarification from Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav, questioning whether they agreed with their coalition partner's opinion on Hindi-speaking people.
According to reports, Dayanidhi Maran's comments on Hindi were framed as a comparison between individuals who learn English and those who exclusively learn Hindi. He argued that those who learn English secure better job opportunities in the IT sector, while those exclusively learning Hindi, particularly people from UP and Bihar, often end up in roles such as cleaning roads and toilets, Hindustan Times reported.
"This is what happens when one learns only Hindi," Maran asserted, as quoted by HT.
The north-south debate resurfaced following recent electoral outcomes which had Congress winning in Telangana while the BJP swept Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. DMK's Senthil Kumar had previously made controversial comments about North Indian states in this context.
Notably, a language debate also unfolded during a meeting of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc where DMK leader TR Baalu reportedly sought an English translation when Nitish Kumar began speaking. Nitish Kumar reportedly was agitated about the request and remarked, "We call our country Hindustan, and Hindi is our national language. We should know the language," while RJD MP Manoj Jha offered to provide a translation. More On It: Nitish Kumar Snaps At DMK Leader For Seeking Translation Of His Hindi Speech At Oppn Meet