A controversy arose in Tamil Nadu when the official state song, ‘Tamizh Thaai Valthu’, omitted a reference to the “Dravidian nation”. This omission led to a dispute between Chief Minister MK Stalin and Governor RN Ravi, sparking a debate on “Hindi imposition” in the Tamil-speaking state.
The incident took place during a Hindi month valedictory function at Doordarshan Kendra in Chennai, where the line referring to the “great Dravidian nation” was left out of the state anthem.
Chief Minister Stalin criticized the omission, stating that celebrating Hindi Month in non-Hindi speaking states could be seen as an attempt to diminish other languages. He suggested that events should focus on promoting the local language of each state instead.
Stalin accused Governor Ravi of removing the word “Dravidian” from the anthem under the pretext of celebrating India, alleging that the governor had a bias against the Dravidian culture and calling for his recall.
In response, Governor Ravi dismissed Stalin’s accusations as “cheap” and defended the celebration of Hindi alongside other languages, emphasizing that Hindi should be regarded as a language to be celebrated, not imposed.
The BJP also weighed in on the controversy, with leaders highlighting the efforts made by the central government to promote Tamil language and culture. They criticized the DMK for portraying Hindi promotion as imposition and reiterated the importance of linguistic diversity.
Overall, the dispute over the omission in the Tamil Nadu anthem brought to light larger issues of language politics, cultural pride, and perceptions of Hindi imposition in the state.
