Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 6 : Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said the "storm of protest" against "Hindi imposition" has transcended state boundaries as he hailed Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray for their "victory rally" after the Maharashtra government's rollback of the three-language policy in the state.
In a harsh post on social media platform X on Saturday, Stalin said the language rights struggle, waged by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu, "is swirling like a storm of protest in Maharashtra."
"The language rights struggle, waged generation after generation by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the people of Tamil Nadu to defeat Hindi imposition, has now transcended state boundaries and is swirling like a storm of protest in Maharashtra," CM Stalin said in a post in Tamil.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray and his cousin, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, held a joint victory rally over the Maharashtra government's withdrawal of two Government Resolutions (GRs) implementing the three-language policy.
"The BJP, which acts lawlessly and anarchically by stating that funds will be allocated only if Hindi is taught as a third language in Tamil Nadu schools, has been forced to back down for the second time in Maharashtra, where they govern, due to fear of the people's uprising," the CM.
Referring to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief as "brother", Stalin hailed Uddhav Thackeray's powerful oratory in the victory rally.
The "enthusiasm and powerful oratory" of the victory rally held today in Mumbai under the leadership of brother #UddhavThackeray against "Hindi imposition fills us with immense excitement."
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray held a joint victory rally after the Maharashtra government scrapped two Government Resolutions (GRs) to introduce Hindi as the third language.
"I know well that the Union government, which prioritizes the promotion of Hindi and Sanskrit full-time, has no answers to the questions raised by Mr. #RajThackeray: What is the third language taught in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan? and Hindi-speaking states are lagging behind--why are you imposing Hindi on the people of progressive non-Hindi-speaking states?," read the post further.
"Will the Union government change its vindictive stance of releasing Rs 2,152 crore in funds under the integrated education scheme (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) only if Tamil Nadu accepts the new education policy that imposes Hindi and Sanskrit under the guise of the three-language policy? Will it immediately release the funds legally owed for the education of Tamil Nadu's schoolchildren?" Stalin asked.
The "struggle" waged by the people of Tamil Nadu against Hindi dominance is not only "emotional but also intellectual! It is logical! It is for the protection of India's pluralistic culture! It is not driven by hatred!," mentioned the post.
Unaware of the history of numerous Indian languages being "destroyed due to Hindi imposition" and failing to understand the agenda of "turning India into the Hindi nation," some naive individuals here parrot phrases like "learning Hindi will get you jobs." They must reform now. The "uprising in Maharashtra will open their eyes of wisdom!"
'We will not allow the discrimination in fund allocation for Tamil or the arrogance of refusing to recognise the Keezhadi civilisation to continue. The BJP must atone for the betrayal it has committed against Tamil and Tamil Nadu. If not, Tamil Nadu will once again teach the BJP and its new allies a lesson they will never forget," Stalin added.