‘Hindi imposition’, says MK Stalin on new bills; Centre calls it petty politics
Criticising the Centre for naming the laws in Hindi, M K Stalin alleged that this was the BJP’s audacious bid to supplant Tamil identity with Hindi and that the action reeks of linguistic imperialism
A fresh war of words emerged between the Tami Nadu government led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after chief minister M K Stalin on Friday called the Centre’s three new bills that are set to replace the country’s criminal laws as an “audacious attempt” of Hindi imposition.
Union education Dharmendra Pradhan while taking to X (formerly Twitter) said that “such petty politics” could serve Stalin’s political ambition but it will weaken democracy.
“Well but, irony is that those who claim to be custodians of Tamil pride are the ones who boycotted Tamil Nadu’s pride—the sacred ‘Sengol’ at the inauguration of our new Parliament. India is a civilisational continuum and our linguistic diversity is the core of this continuum. PM @narendramodi and the BJP have always been vociferous about promoting and preserving India’s linguistic diversity, including Tamil. Kashi Tamil Sangamam was one such glowing example. And this causes heartache to those who have a misplaced thought that India’s cultural continuum and literary pride is propriety of a few dynasts,” Pradhan said.
Criticising the Centre for naming the laws in Hindi, Stalin on his X feed alleged that this was the BJP’s audacious bid to supplant Tamil identity with Hindi and that the action reeks of “linguistic imperialism.”
“The audacious attempt by the Union BJP Government to tamper with the essence of India’s diversity through a sweeping overhaul - Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill - reeks of linguistic imperialism. This is an affront to the very foundation of #INDIA’s unity. BJP and Prime Minister Modi have no moral right to even utter the word #Tamil hereafter,” Stalin said.
Affirming that his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), would go on to oppose the laws if introduced, Stalin also started a #StopHindiImposition hashtag.
“In the crucible of history, Tamil Nadu and DMK have emerged as the vanguards against such oppressive overtones. From the Anti-Hindi agitations to safeguarding our linguistic identity, we have withstood the storm of #HindiImposition before, and we shall do it again, with unyielding determination. The fire of resistance against #HindiColonialism is ablaze once more. The BJP’s audacious bid to supplant our identity with Hindi will be opposed resolutely,” Stalin said.
DMK member of Parliament (MP) P Wilson expressed shock at the Hindi names given to three legislations and mocked how South Indian lawyers would have a hard time to pronounce the names.
“Maybe the Hon. Union Home Minister has not seen Article 348 of the Constitution of India? Names of Bills & Acts must be in English. This is yet another form of Hindi imposition. South Indian lawyers are going to spend most of the time in courts trying to pronounce these names,” Wilson said in a statement.
Lawyer and Congress spokesperson Sankjet Yenagi while issuing a reaction over the same wrote on X, “MK Stalin’s statement could be because of earlier scenarios, where the BJP had multiple times tried to impose Hindi on south-Indian people.”
Introducing the new bills in Parliament, which are set to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said that it would “transform our criminal justice system”.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 – introduced in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the monsoon session – include key changes to deal with offences of terrorism, crimes against women, corruption in election processes and acts that are against the State.
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