Tamil Nadu will never allow 'Hindi imposition', says Dy CM Udhayanidhi

Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu), Dec 20 (PTI) Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday alleged "Hindi imposition" was being attempted by the Centre yet again and asserted that Tamil Nadu will never allow it.

Presiding over an event here to mark the centenary of noted singer and DMK veteran, Nagore EM Hanifa (1925-2015), Udhayanidhi said Hanifa, like late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, was attracted to the reformist writings of Periyar EV Ramasamy in the pre-independence era. When Periyar announced a "war" against Hindi imposition in the 1930s, both the leaders took up the cudgels and fought against the Hindi "imposition".

"The youth of today should study this history; they should know how Hanifa was attracted to the Dravidian movement's philosophies," the deputy CM said.

Hanifa, renowned for his unique voice that had a mass appeal, popularised the DMK more through his political songs. Big-ticket political meetings of the DMK always began with Hanifa's songs.

Udhayanidhi said that Periyar, and later, Dravidian icon CN Annadurai fought against Hindi imposition and Tamil Nadu always emerged victorious in such struggles.

Today, "Hindi imposition" is being attempted by the Centre in some other form, he alleged.

The Union government is once again trying to impose Hindi through its 3-language policy and it says that it would release about Rs 2,000 crore only if the state accepts trilingual policy.

"Our chief minister (M K Stalin) has asserted that Hindi imposition will not be allowed even if the Centre is going to provide Rs 10,000 crore; not just Rs 2,000 crore (education related funds)," the deputy CM said.

Quoting the chief minister, he said Tamil Nadu will always follow the 2-language policy.

"Tamil Nadu will never allow Hindi imposition till such time Nagore Hanifa's voice resonates in the air." Praising Hanifa as a "voice of communal amity," he said Tamil Nadu must always remain a state that fosters communal harmony and the chief minister himself, "like a fortress," protects it.

On December 24, the CM would take part in an event in Chennai to mark the centenary of Hanifa.

Udhayanidhi said it was a matter of additional pride that "it is the chief minister who is protecting the name of Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University," through legal struggle. The centenary event was held on the varsity premises here.

It may be recalled that after the Supreme Court's verdict on April 8, 2025 in the matter involving Bills vis-a-vis the Governor RN Ravi, the Tamil Nadu government notified 10 Bills (on April 12, 2025 in the government gazette). It includes the one to rename the State Fisheries University after former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

The court had held that the Bills sent to the President by Governor Ravi following re-adoption by the Tamil Nadu Assembly were deemed to have been accorded assent. Later, the SC had, however, in its advisory opinion in the matter of Presidential Reference had said that there cannot be deemed assent to Bills.

At the centenary celebrations of Hanifa, Udhayanidhi released the "Isaimurasu Nagore Hanifa Centenary Commemorative Souvenir" published on behalf of the 'Tamilarasu' magazine of the Department of Information and Public Relations.

The deputy chief minister inaugurated the 'Isai Murasu' EM Nagore Hanifa centenary park, set up at an estimated cost of Rs 1.28 crore at the Nagore Silladi beach by the government. Udhayanidhi inspected a photo expo depicting the life and times of Hanifa.

A volunteer of the Periyar's self respect movement, Esmail Mohammed Hanifa had a life long association with Karunanidhi and he was committed to the Dravidian ideology and the DMK. When the DMK fought polls for the first time in 1957, party founder Annadurai named Hanifa as the party candidate from Nagapattinam Assembly constituency. A noted Islamic devotional singer, Hanifa was born on December 25, 1925 and he died on April 8, 2015. PTI VGN VGN SA