DMK Cadres Blacken Hindi Signboards In Chennai Amid TN-Centre Row Over NEP '3-Language Formula'

The protesters raised slogans against the Central government, accusing it of attempting to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, a state that follows a dual-language policy emphasising Tamil and English.

Annamalai further criticised the DMK labeling them as "a bunch of confused nincompoops" with double standards.

Source : X

In a protest against the perceived imposition of Hindi through National Education Policy (NEP), cadres of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) smeared black paint on Hindi letters displayed on name boards at St Thomas Mount Post Office and adjoining BSNL office in Alandur, Chennai, on Monday. This incident follows similar actions at Pollachi and Palayamkottai Railway Stations on Sunday where 11 DMK cadres were booked for defacing Hindi letters.

The protesters raised slogans against the Central government, accusing it of attempting to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, a state that follows a dual-language policy emphasising Tamil and English. The DMK has long opposed the three-language formula proposed in the NEP, arguing that it undermines Tamil Nadu's linguistic identity.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Hindi portions of the signboards at the Post office and BSNL office blackened in Chennai

Row over 3-language policy under NEP (National Education Policy) is going on in Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/Ahta57lYDW

— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2025

BJP state chief K Annamalai strongly condemned the protests, calling the protesters "misguided individuals" and suggesting they direct their actions toward the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Office instead. In a post on social media platform X, Annamalai sarcastically remarked, "They can check for the addresses of these offices from the corrupt DMK Ministers as they frequently visit these places."

Annamalai further criticised the DMK labeling them as "a bunch of confused nincompoops" with double standards. He pointed out that many DMK members either run CBSE or Matriculation schools offering three languages or ensure their children and grandchildren are enrolled in such institutions."After securing their children's future, they go around spreading fallacies and propaganda against the three-language policy; irony of things," he said.

Mocking DMK Chief Minister MK Stalin, Annamalai said, "Thiru @mkstalin should also bring his INDI Alliance partners to TN and give them also a box of black paint." BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy also joined in the criticism, challenging the DMK cadres to black out Hindi words on Rs 500 notes if they were truly committed to their cause. In a post on X, he quipped, "Hello DMK @arivalayam party men, why are you wasting your time and energy by going to railway stations to black out Hindi words with paint? If you really have the guts, I dare you to black out Hindi words on the 500-rupee notes you have in your houses. Will you?"