NEW DELHI: Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are nearly a year away, but it seems chief minister MK Stalin has already managed to set the agenda for the polls by latching on to some of the key issues raised by the BJP.
When Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan asked the DMK government in Tamil Nadu to implement the three-language policy, MK Stalin turned it into an issue of state’s rights alleging that it was not the National Education Policy that the BJP was trying to implement but a “saffron policy” aimed at developing Hindi and not the nation.
Raising fears of “Hindi imposition” on the state, Stalin claimed that Tamil Nadu was ready for another language war.
The Tamil Nadu chief minister did not stop at that. He simultaneously raised the pitch on the “threat” of Tamil Nadu losing Lok Sabha seats under the proposed delimitation and called an all-party meeting on the issue to ensure that the state was not penalised for ensuring development and controlling population.
“In the name of delimitation, a sword is hanging over southern states. Tamil Nadu succeeded in population control through the family planning programme. Just because population is less, there is a situation of the Lok Sabha seats being cut down (in TN). We stand to lose 8 seats and as a result, we would be having only 31 MPs, and not the 39 (present number). Our representation (in Parliament) will reduce, Tamil Nadu’s voice is being stifled. This is a mater of Tamil Nadu’s rights. All leaders and political parties should jointly speak across party lines on the issue,” Stalin said raising the pitch.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I have an appeal! Try to develop India rather than Hindi. Sanskrit cannot be developed even if you spend thousands of crores. You will spend crores to develop a language that is not spoken by the people. Will you betray our Tamil language that is recognised in several countries and spoken by the people?” he added.
With the three-language policy an emotive issue in the state, even Stalin’s political opponents were forced to attend his meeting.
The Tamil Nadu chief minister later took the lead in mobilising other southern states and chaired a meeting on the issue of delimitation and its fallout on these states.
Resolution against Waqf Amendment Bill
Stalin followed up his language and delimitation offensive by raising the pitch against the Centre’s Waqf Amendment Bill. The Tamil Nadu assembly passed a resolution against the proposed Waqf bill in the assembly and insisted that the Union government recall the Bill as it would badly affect the minority Muslims.
Piloting the resolution, Stalin said the bill is “destroying the rights of Muslims. This is against the freedom of religion. This is hurting Muslim sentiments.” The Tamil Nadu CM further claimed the Bill was an assault on the constitutional rights of minorities and their institutions.
While the BJP walked out, all other parties including the principal opposition AIADMK and NDA partner the PMK supported the resolution.
“All parties in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly have unanimously passed a resolution opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to be brought by the Union BJP government! The BJP is working with the aim of crippling the functioning of the Waqf organisation by making several amendments at once, without any demand from Muslims,” Stalin wrote on X.
‘Clever political move’
Senior journalist and political analyst Vijaya Sankar says chief minister Stalin has played a smart political game in the run up to the assembly elections next year.
“It was a clever move on the part of the DMK chief. Instead of making it a party issue, Stalin made the language and delimitation issues a question of Tamil Nadu’s pride and ensured the backing of even his political opponents,” he says.
“The resolution against the Waqf Bill in the state assembly will help the ruling DMK consolidate the Muslims who constitute around 12% of population,” says Vijaya Sankar.
The BJP and the AIADMK have accused Stalin of orchestrating “political drama.” Their attacks notwithstanding, the fact is that Stalin has managed to set the narrative and has forced his political opponents to back him on these issues.
One look at Stalin’s response to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s attacks on language row and it sums up how Tamil Nadu chief minister has tried to turn the controversy over these issues into an advantage for his party.
“Tamil Nadu’s fair and firm voice on #TwoLanguagePolicy and #FairDelimitation is echoing nationwide–and the BJP is clearly rattled. Just watch their leaders’ interviews. And now Hon’ble Yogi Adityanath wants to lecture us on hate? Spare us. This isn’t irony–it’s political black comedy at its darkest. We don’t oppose any language; we oppose imposition and chauvinism. This isn’t riot-for-votes politics. This is a battle for dignity and justice,” Stalin posted on X.
Stalin may now try to keep these issues alive as the state approaches next year’s assembly elections.
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