MK Stalin has changed a lot since he became the leader of the DMK party and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in May 2021. His rise has come at a time when the AIADMK party is struggling. Stalin is now seen as an important leader not just in Tamil Nadu but across India. Even other opposition parties are looking to him for inspiration as the BJP continues to attack him and the DMK.
The situation today is different from the 1960s when the DMK faced many challenges. Back then, Congress was in power, but now they are teaming up with DMK to defend the idea of a diverse India. They are worried that the BJP is pushing a plan of “one nation, one religion, and one language,” which they believe threatens the country’s democracy.
Stalin is standing up for Tamil language and state rights amidst this change. When the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, demanded that Tamil Nadu approve the National Education Policy (NEP) for funding, it was a sneaky move aimed at testing Tamil Nadu’s strength. But Stalin made it clear that Tamil Nadu supports a two-language policy and is willing to fight for it, even if they have to stand alone. By doing this, he exposed the connection between funding and language policies.
Stalin’s stand has gained support not just from Tamil Nadu but from other non-Hindi speaking states too. States like Kerala and Karnataka are also raising concerns about the imposition of Hindi. This shows that Tamil Nadu is not alone in this fight.
Additionally, Stalin opened discussions about delimitation, which is important for electoral representation of Tamil Nadu and other southern states. This caught the BJP off guard. The BJP did not expect a united response from the southern states to Stalin’s call for cooperation.
Stalin’s actions, like changing the rupee symbol in the state budget to Tamil script, are not against the law or aimed at dividing the country. They show his commitment to Tamil pride and rights. The Tamil Nadu government is ready to find ways to get resources denied by the Union government.
All these events might shape the political landscape for the upcoming 2026 assembly elections and beyond, marking a significant moment in Tamil Nadu politics.
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