Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin declared on Saturday (25th January) that his party’s student wing would oppose the proposed University Grants Commission (UGC) draft recommendations in New Delhi.
“The introduction of the three-language policy and the National Education Policy (NEP) are blatant attempts to impose Hindi and Sanskrit on non-Hindi-speaking states,” he declared.
MK Stalin pledged to continue the alleged language war and prevent the imposition of Sanskrit or Hindi to protect Tamilian identity.
The development transpired in an event in the commemoration of those who passed away during ‘Mozhi Por’ (Language War), in Chennai.
Stalin claimed that in order to defend the rights of all non-Hindi speaking states, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) student wing would hold a “Education Right” demonstration in Delhi.
He has started to push for the union government to revoke the 2024 and 2025 draft University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. He maintained that the struggle to preserve the Tamil language and the rights of the state is still underway. He further blamed the centre for eroding federal ideals.
Additionally, the DMK supremo emphasized how the party has been defending Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy since 1967. It was the first state to pass a resolution in the assembly opposing the UGC’s draft regulations, he added, slamming the union government for introducing them.
“Universities are established by states, so the authority to govern them should also rest with the states. However, the union government continues to encroach upon state’s rights,” he accused.
A three-language policy was adopted to create obstacles, according to him. He also conveyed that a two-language policy only came into effect to safeguard the regional language after his party gained power.
Stalin also wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on 20th January. He alleged that the draft recommendations would have a significant impact on university autonomy and were a blatant violation of the rights of state governments.
“The Union government is only thinking about either imposing Hindi or Sanskrit. Foreign Hindi is being imposed to destroy mother Tamil,” he charged and even accused the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) of attempting to turn India into a country with only one religion and one language.
“They (BJP) are showing support to Hindi, but the truth is that they are the supporters of Sanskrit. After making Hindi sit on the throne, they will bring in Sanskrit. We have crossed several attempts of language and cultural imposition. Unable to impose an Aryan language on ancient Tamil society, attempts are being made to impose it through schools and universities. Can’t we, who give land, create infrastructure and maintain universities capable of appointing a chancellor? Why can’t the people choose the Chief Minister to be the chancellor,” he asked.
Stalin complained about the celebration of “Hindi Month” at Doordarshan Kendra in Tamil Nadu and the proposition of Hindi as the primary language of instruction at IITs and IIMs. Moreover, he alleged that the central administration had neglected Tamil Nadu in the union budget, cut back on funding for the education department and withheld disaster relief package.
“Instead of fulfilling its responsibilities, the union government focuses on imposing Hindi, promoting Sanskrit names and introducing policies like NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test), which harm our students,” he stated.
Stalin presented Rs 34 lakh renovated memorial of Thalamuthu and Natarajan, who died in the 1939 protest against the imposition of Hindi. The state government previously declared the 25th of January to be “Tamil Mozhi Thiyagigal Naal (Tamil language martyrs’ day).”
He added that statues of Natarajan and Thalamuthu would be erected at the Thalamuthu Natarajan Building in Egmore at the request of VCK President Thol Thirumavalavan. He also paid floral tributes to them and Dharmambal Ammaiyar.
The UGC has attempted to expand the region of selection to change Regulation 2010, which deals with the appointment and selection of vice chancellors in institutions throughout the nation.
Only academicians with at least ten years of experience as professors are eligible to be chosen for the position under the current rules.
What is ‘Mozhi Por’
The students of Tamil Nadu took to streets on 25th January 1965, halting daily activities, in protest of Hindi being designated as the “official language,” reported The New Indian Express.
It was not the first anti-Hindi demonstration as such instances had been intermittent, with some individuals even taking their own lives. The shocking instances began from 1938, when the uprising succeeded in preventing Hindi from being designated as the “language of education.”
Many also refer to the 1938 protest, which was led by Periyar E V Ramasamy, as the “First Mozhi Por.” The 1965 agitation, however, is significant since it was predominantly a student movement and it gave a fatal blow to the Congress, the ruling party at the time, which has yet to recover from its monumental defeat.
The DMK, which supported the unrest, was able to seize power in 1967 owing to the same and the two-language system in schools was enforced.
The showdown was scheduled for the fateful day for two reasons: The students chose to assemble the crowd the day before because 26th January is a government holiday and it was the end of the 15-year period allotted when India became a republic to make Hindi the national language.
Secondly, it was the first anniversary of Keezhapazhur Chinnasamy’s death who burned himself alive in Tiruchy in 1964 in support of Tamil. On Chennai’s seaside road, students rallied in a massive show of strength.
According to L Ganesan, the driving force behind the movement, on 25th January 1965, the air was infused with linguistic fervor as the phrase Hindi Oliga, Tamil Vaazhga (Down with Hindi, long live Tamil) rang out.
Chinnasamy, who was born in Keezhapazhur, which is now in the Ariyalur district, lit himself on fire in front of the Tiruchy junction railway station early on 25th January of 1964, one year prior to the launch of the ‘Mozhi Por’ while shouting, “Down with Hindi, long live Tamil.”
Poet and author Jayaprakasam unveiled that pupils, teachers and researchers from Tamil universities played an active part in the agitations across the state.
