CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin marked Language Martyrs’ Day on Sunday by paying heartfelt tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in historic anti-Hindi agitations that shaped the state’s linguistic identity and political destiny.
Dressed in black as a symbol of mourning and resistance, Stalin visited the Thalamuthu-Natarajan Memorial in Chennai’s Moolakothalam. He laid wreaths on the portraits of Thalamuthu and Natarajan, two young activists killed during protests against the imposition of Hindi.
Raising the slogan ‘Salute to the Language Martyrs,’ the CM reaffirmed Tamil Nadu’s unwavering commitment to linguistic pride and federal principles. In a powerful post on X, he declared, ‘No place for Hindi in our state. Glorious Language Martyrs’ Day tribute: Neither then, nor now, nor ever will Hindi have a place here.’
He highlighted how the state, loving its language more than life itself, united against every attempt to impose Hindi, fighting with unmatched courage. Stalin credited these struggles with safeguarding the rights and identities of language-based nations across the Indian subcontinent.
‘I pay grateful homage to those martyrs who gave their lives for Tamil. May no more lives be lost in language struggles, may our Tamil consciousness never fade, and may we always oppose the imposition of Hindi,’ he added.
Observed annually on January 25, Language Martyrs’ Day commemorates victims of forced Hindi imposition, particularly from the 1930s agitations and the massive 1965 movement. These protests erupted over fears that mandating Hindi in education and administration would sideline Tamil and erode regional autonomy.
The 1965 uprising saw widespread participation from students and citizens across Tamil Nadu, leaving an indelible mark on collective memory and reshaping national language policy. Intense statewide protests prompted the central government to assure that English would continue as an associate official language alongside Hindi, easing tensions and bolstering India’s multilingual fabric.
The memorial event was attended by Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, ministers PK Sekar Babu and MP Saminathan, Chennai Mayor R Priya, senior officials, party leaders, and the public, underscoring the enduring relevance of language issues in Tamil Nadu’s public discourse.