Many native languages lost to monolithic Hindi: Stalin

Amid the Hindi “imposition” controversy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin today said several regional languages had been lost to the supremacy of Hindi.

Will oppose imposition

Will oppose Hindi imposition. Hindi is the mask, Sanskrit is the hidden face. — MK Stalin, Tamil Nadu CM

Bid to divide society

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Poor governance will never be hidden by such shallow attempts to divide society. — Ashwini Vaishnaw, I&B Minister

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• Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has said Home Minister Shah's claim that southern states will not be disadvantaged in the delimitation process is not 'trustworthy' and is aimed at creating a confusion.

“My dear sisters and brothers from other states, ever wondered how many Indian languages Hindi has swallowed? Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh and Mundari. Many more are now gasping for survival. The push for a monolithic Hindi identity is what kills ancient mother tongues. UP and Bihar were never just ‘Hindi heartlands’. Their real languages are now relics of the past,” Stalin said on X.

The BJP hit back at Stalin accusing him of attempting to sow divisions on the basis of language with electoral motives on mind. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in 2026. “Bharat’s spiritual journey is incomplete without the mention of Tamil culture,” said

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, adding after Independence, if anyone had done the most for the promotion of Tamil Nadu’s culture and language, it was PM Modi.

Earlier, Stalin had alleged that most states were granting importance to Sanskrit under the new NEP’s three language formula which mandates a mother tongue, English and a language of choice. Stalin said Tamil was not taught anywhere except in Andamans.