‘Imposing Hindi Everywhere’: MK Stalin vs Governor Over State Anthem Row

MK Stalin condemned the Governor for allegedly “defaming the Dravidian community” and attempting to “enforce the usage of Hindi in all aspects.

MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has directed a set of inquiries towards Governor RN Ravi concerning the omission of a line from Tamil Nadu’s state anthem at an event’s performance. This incident highlights the ongoing verbal clash between the two officials. Additionally, Stalin censured the Governor for allegedly disparaging the Dravidian community and attempting to enforce the prevalence of Hindi in various spheres.

The most recent point of contention arose when singers skipped a line containing the word ‘Dravida’ during the event overseen by the Tamil Nadu Governor on Friday.

“Why didn’t you correct the omission right away?” Mr Stalin posted on X, accusing Mr Ravi of skipping mentioning the “Dravidian model in the past”.

“When this is your history, how will Tamils believe this omission was inadvertent?” he posted.

During the conclusion of the Hindi month celebration at Doordarshan Kendra Chennai, the singers unintentionally omitted the line “Thekkanamum adhil sirantha Dravida nal thiru naadum” from the anthem. Doordarshan Tamil expressed regret for this oversight and clarified that there was no ill intent to show disrespect towards Tamil or the state song, Tamizh Thaai Valthu.

Strongly objecting to the exclusion, MK Stalin accused the governor of disrespecting the nation’s unity and the diverse population residing in the region while supposedly commemorating Hindi month. He pointed out that someone who disregards the law and operates based on personal whims is unsuitable for such a position, questioning whether Mr. Ravi truly functions as a governor or rather as an “Aryan”.

Mr Ravi, on his part, accused the Chief Minister of making a racist remark against him. He said the allegation against him was “unfortunately cheap and lowers the dignity of the high constitutional office of the Chief Minister.” His response, however, was silent on the skipped line by the singers.

MK Stalin responded by stating, “The Chief Minister making baseless racist remarks against the Governor at a low cost is truly regrettable. Tamil, Governor, is not just a language to us; it runs in our veins. Tamils have sacrificed their lives to protect our mother tongue. The roots of the First Constitutional Amendment and the legacy of the Indian anti-imposition movement are deeply embedded in Tamil soil. Considering our affection for Tamil as racist is a matter of pride for us.

He also accused the Centre and the governor appointed by it of trying to impose “Hindi with the policy of ‘Hindi everywhere – Hindi in anything’ by Prime Minister Modi’s schemes and slogans”.

“What kind of political civilization is it to forget the constitutional norms and talk about politics every day, and to turn the Governor’s House into a political office – and to vilify the Dravidian race? What kind of culture?” he wrote.

Mr. Ravi mentioned that he diligently recites the complete Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu at all events, emphasizing the importance of doing so with deep respect, honor, and accuracy. He highlighted the initiatives led by the respected Prime Minister Thiru Narendra Modi, wherein the Central government has established numerous institutions dedicated to promoting Tamil language and heritage not only in Tamil Nadu but also in various nations worldwide. Referring to a specific occasion, Mr. Ravi praised PM Modi for showcasing Tamil culture even at the United Nations.

The Chief Minister had earlier said the Governor should step down as he had failed to speak for Tamil pride.

“If you intend to continue as governor, I request you to free yourself from divisive forces and discharge your duties according to constitutional norms,” MK Stalin said.

The face-off began after MK Stalin wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising that the Indian Constitution does not grant national language status to any language, and Hindi and English are only for official purposes. He suggested avoiding the Hindi language month celebration in non-Hindi-speaking states.

Governor RN Ravi responded by stating that Hindi Month valedictory function, as well as the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan, should not be condemned but rather embraced as an opportunity to celebrate Hindi alongside other languages.

The Doordarshan event marked the beginning of the golden jubilee celebrations of Doordarshan Chennai, which commenced operations in 1975.

In response to the intense controversy, Doordarshan Kendra in Chennai explained that the omission of the line was a result of an oversight. They expressed regret for the unintentional error and clarified that the singers had no intention to show disrespect towards Tamil or Tamizh Thaai Valthu. Doordarshan Tamil issued an apology for any inconvenience caused to the Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu.

The Tamizh Thaai Valthu was made the state anthem after MK Stalin became Chief Minister in 2021. The song was authored by Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai.