Tamil Nadu Factcheck says no anti-Hindi Bill even as DMK cadres burn Hindi posters

Even as the Tamil Nadu government’s official fact-checking body dismissed reports of an ‘anti-Hindi Bill’ as false, DMK cadres in several parts of the state, including Pollachi, burnt Hindi letters written on placards in support of the rumoured legislation.

The controversy began on Wednesday morning when reports emerged claiming that the DMK government was planning to introduce a Bill restricting the use of Hindi in the state.

The speculation followed what was described as an “emergency meeting” at Chief Minister MK Stalin’s residence. India Today broke the story in the morning and questioned DMK Organisational Secretary TKS Elangovan, who neither confirmed nor denied the report, stating only that the party would not act against the Constitution.

The rumour triggered a political slugfest. BJP state president K Annamalai slammed the ruling DMK in a post on X, contrasting Tamil Nadu’s alleged “ban on Hindi” move with Andhra Pradesh’s Google data centre deal.

By 4.30 pm, sources indicated that the DMK had decided to stall any such proposal. Later in the evening, the state-run TN Factcheck team officially declared the viral claim false. “This claim is completely false. The Secretary of the Legislative Assembly has clarified that no proposal for such a Bill has been received,” the agency said.

Reacting to Annamalai’s post, DMK MP P Wilson hit back, calling the BJP leader an “Andh Bhakt.” “Not only is this claim fake news, but has Mr. Annamalai been living under a rock? Our government has signed 893 MoUs since 2021, attracting Rs 10.07 lakh crore in investments and creating over 31 lakh jobs,” Wilson wrote, adding that Tamil Nadu continues to draw new investors, including Hitachi, which announced a Rs 2,000 crore expansion.

Annamalai responded by accusing TN Factcheck of being “an extended arm of the DMK’s propaganda machinery.” He said the party had “tested the waters” by leaking the story and later backtracking to divert attention from “recent humiliations in court.” He also questioned the credibility of the state’s investment announcements, urging the government to provide updates on past promises.

Amid the political exchange, DMK cadres and affiliated organisations held protests across regions like Pollachi, burning Hindi letters and chanting “Tamil Nadu does not need Hindi.”

“The Central government is withholding education funds over the three-language policy and continues to impose Hindi. We condemn this and support our Chief Minister’s stand to protect Tamil,” said Navaneedhakrishnan, DMK’s Pollachi North District Secretary.

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