Language and identity politics making a comeback in Tamil Nadu

For long, Tamils have worn linguistic pride on their sleeves and language has been an integral part of the state’s politics. It was the then Congress government’s insistence on making Hindi compulsory in schools that opened the gates for Dravidian parties to rule Tamil Nadu since 1967.

For over 50 years, Dravidian majors – DMK and AIADMK – have been ruling the state alternatively and had stonewalled every move, both direct and indirect, by successive Union Governments to “impose” Hindi on Tamil Nadu.

After decades, the language and identity politics is making a strong comeback in Tamil Nadu, which will face its most-crucial assembly elections in recent times in the first-half of 2021. Tamils have always shunned Hindi, maintaining that they are not against learning the language but only oppose shoving it down their throat forcibly.

With social media emerging as the new political battleground, a large number of Tamils have taken to such platforms to voice their opinion against “Hindi imposition.” For the past few weeks, Tamil Twitter has been flooded with hashtags against Hindi and a section of Tamils did demonstrate their opposition in style wearing T-shirts with words like “Hindi Theriyathu Poda (I don’t know Hindi. Go Man) that went viral.

What spawned the resurgence of identity and linguistic politics? It is the policies of the BJP-led Centre – be it the New Education Policy (NEP) that proposes a three-language formula which Tamils view as facilitating a back-door entry to Hindi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s declaration that Hindi was the only language that would integrate India, observers say.

Incidents like DMK MP Kanimozhi being asked whether she was an Indian at the Chennai Airport for not knowing Hindi, farmers receiving answers for their questions under the Right to Information Act in Hindi and a Secretary- level officer asking doctors from Tamil Nadu to leave a conference if they did not know Hindi only aggravated the anger of an average Tamil.

Senior journalist R Mani said there was a distinct difference between the designs used by previous governments to impose Hindi and the one being adopted by the Narendra Modi dispensation.

“The current BJP dispensation is open about its love to impose Hindi on Tamils. They do not hide it anymore. They are very vocal about pushing Hindi down the throat of Tamils, despite knowing the kind of resistance they would face. BJP leaders now say people should learn Hindi too. It (Hindi imposition) is an all-out political war by the BJP to wipe out the distinct identity that Tamils possess,” Mani told DH.

And to dismiss the anti-Hindi sentiments as a mere internet phenomenon would not just be politically naïve but suicidal too as the attachment of Tamils towards their language is strong, political analysts warn, reminding that the Congress, which was thrown out of power in 1967, has not been able to nurse the wounds it suffered even after 50 years.

By reigniting the debate, the BJP, which is desperate to make inroads into Tamil Nadu, seems to have gifted the “Hindi imposition” issue on a platter to the Dravidian parties, especially the DMK, which is milking the issue to the hilt. The incident involving Kanimozhi hit national headlines evoking condemnation from most non-Hindi speaking states and the DMK is now trying to project itself as a force against Hindi hegemony in India.

Though Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami opposed the three-language formula and declared that the state would continue with the existing two-language policy, the AIADMK has not been quite active in voicing its opinion on the language issue. Party stalwarts M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa had also steadfastly opposed any kind of Hindi imposition though the latter spoke the language very fluently.

“Opposing Hindi imposition is no more just the job of the principal Opposition party. Every Tamil should be on the streets to oppose the worst form of Hindi imposition by the Modi dispensation. And one should be clear that people are not against learning the language but only against its imposition,” Mani added.

Though the BJP says it has taken Tamil to the global stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi referring to verses from the rich literature, the party’s stand has few takers due to “unflinching love” for Hindi. And the BJP is making every effort to convince people on how a third language would bring better employment and economic opportunities.

If one goes by the hints dropped by DMK, linguistic pride and Tamil identity will find a prominent place in its campaign for the elections due next year. And the BJP’s counter-strategy will be interesting to watch.