The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has dismissed reports claiming that the Tamil Nadu government is drafting an ‘Anti-Hindi Bill’ to prohibit Hindi hoardings, films and songs across the state.
DMK denies ‘anti-Hindi’ bill, calls reports baseless
The language debate in Tamil Nadu resurfaced this week after several media outlets suggested that the state was preparing to introduce legislation restricting the use of Hindi. However, senior DMK leader and spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan clarified that no such proposal exists.
“We won’t do anything against the Constitution. We will abide by it. We are against the imposition of Hindi, not against the language itself,” he told News9.
‘Bill like this not possible’: DMK
DMK leaders said the idea of a ban on Hindi was entirely “misleading and wrong”. They emphasised that the government’s policies are guided by the Constitution, which protects linguistic freedom.
Sources within the government added that no bill to restrict Hindi hoardings or entertainment content is under consideration. Officials reiterated that Tamil Nadu’s stance has always been to promote Tamil while respecting other Indian languages.
Reports reignite Hindi imposition row
The controversy began after some reports claimed that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s government was preparing to table a bill outlawing Hindi-language content, as part of its stand against language imposition.
This followed an ongoing tussle between the state and the Centre over the three-language formula under the National Education Policy (NEP). Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed any move that it perceives as enforcing Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states.
Both the ruling DMK and the Opposition AIADMK maintain that Tamil identity and linguistic heritage must be protected from Hindi dominance.
TN’s earlier anti-Hindi stand on the Rupee symbol
The alleged ‘anti-Hindi’ bill reports come soon after the Tamil Nadu government courted controversy by using the Tamil alphabet ‘ru’ instead of the Indian rupee symbol in the 2025–26 state budget logo. In Tamil, the letter “ru” (ரு) is from the word “Rubai” (ருபாய்) represents the Rupee. This was protesting the ₹ as the symbol for Indian currency, as it resembles the Hindi alphabet “R” (र). Earlier this year, MK Stalin-led DMK government had replaced this universally recognised Indian Rupee symbol with the Tamil alphabet ரு in its 2025-26 state budget documents.
The decision marked the first instance of a state rejecting the official Rupee symbol. Seen largely as a symbolic assertion, the move underscores the DMK government’s resistance to what it perceives as the Centre’s Hindi imposition through the National Education Policy (NEP). By adopting a distinctly Tamil representation of currency, the Stalin administration reinforced its pro-Tamil, anti-Hindi stance and reiterated its opposition to Centre’s policies that it claims is “encroaching on state identity”.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP leaders had criticised the move back then, while the DMK defended it as an effort to celebrate the Tamil language and culture.
Political reactions
Reacting to the reports, BJP leader Vinoj Selvam described the alleged bill as “stupid and absurd,” accusing the DMK of employing language politics for attention.
In contrast, DMK leaders stated that their focus remains on resisting the imposition of Hindi and upholding federal principles. “Language should unite, not divide. That’s the core of our stand,” said a party source.
Three-language row: Explained
Under the Centre’s NEP, the three-language formula allows states to choose their own combinations of languages, provided two are Indian. Although Hindi is not mandatory, Tamil Nadu has historically rejected the formula, insisting on a two-language policy — Tamil and English.
For the DMK, this is not merely administrative, but about preserving Tamil pride and autonomy. As the party clarified yet again, there is no ‘anti-Hindi bill’, only a commitment to protect Tamil Nadu’s linguistic identity within constitutional bounds.