Tamil Nadu CM Stalin Welcomes Thackeray Brothers’ Unity, Says Maharashtra Has Joined Tamil Nadu’s Battle Against Hindi Imposition

Chennai: In a powerful show of southern solidarity with a growing language rights movement in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has publicly welcomed the reunion of estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who shared a stage in Mumbai on Saturday after over two decades — united in their opposition to the imposition of Hindi.

Reacting to the rally led by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray, Stalin wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “The language rights struggle, waged generation after generation by the DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu to defeat Hindi imposition, has now transcended state boundaries and is swirling like a storm of protest in Maharashtra.”

The Thackeray cousins had strongly criticised the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra over its now-scrapped move to introduce Hindi as a third language in primary schools — a proposal that triggered sharp protests across the state.

Calling the Mumbai rally a “victory celebration” against linguistic imposition, Stalin praised the “enthusiasm and powerful oratory” of the event and expressed hope that such movements would lead to the preservation of India’s linguistic diversity.

Taking a direct swipe at the BJP, Stalin accused the party of running the country in an “anarchic” manner. “The BJP, which acts lawlessly by stating that funds will be allocated only if Hindi is taught as a third language in Tamil Nadu schools, has now been forced to back down even in Maharashtra — a state it governs — because of the people’s uprising,” he said.

Referencing Raj Thackeray’s fiery speech, Stalin posed a pointed question to the Centre: “What is the third language taught in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan? Why are Hindi-speaking states lagging behind, and yet you impose Hindi on progressive, non-Hindi-speaking states?”

Stalin also condemned the Centre’s conditional release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, which he claimed were being held back to pressure Tamil Nadu into adopting the New Education Policy. “If the government believes Rs 2,152 crore will buy Tamil Nadu’s compliance, they are wrong,” Stalin warned.

In a broader reflection on the cultural implications of language policy, Stalin emphasized that Tamil Nadu’s resistance is about preserving India’s pluralism, not opposing Hindi itself.

“The uprising in Maharashtra will open the eyes of those who still believe that learning Hindi guarantees jobs, while remaining blind to the destruction of other Indian languages,” he said.

Ending his statement with a strong warning to the ruling party, Stalin declared:“The BJP must atone for its betrayal of Tamil and Tamil Nadu. If not, the people will once again deliver a lesson that neither the BJP nor its new allies will ever forget.”