‘North Indians Know Only Hindi, Sell Pani Puri’: TN Minister Sparks Fresh Language Row

Last Updated:February 05, 2026, 11:20 IST

MRK Panneerselvam said Hindi-only northerners found limited jobs in Tamil Nadu, doing menial work, while Tamilians prospered under the two-language policy.

Tamil Nadu’s Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam

With only a few months left for the state Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu’s Agriculture Minister MRK Panneerselvam has reignited the long-running state versus centre and two-versus-three language debate after making crude remarks about migrant workers from northern states.

He said people from the north, “having learnt only Hindi", had limited job opportunities in Tamil Nadu and ended up in menial work, while Tamilians benefitted from the state’s two-language policy, learnt English and secured jobs abroad.

“… those from the north are coming to Tamil Nadu to clean tables… they are coming here to work as construction labourers pani puri sellers as they have only learnt Hindi," he said.

“But our children have gone abroad… as we follow a two-language policy and learned English well. They are going abroad and getting opportunities to earn in crores… in USA, London."

Panneerselvam was not the only Tamil Nadu minister to speak on the issue.

Earlier in an interview with a news channel, Industries Minister TRB Rajaa offered a more nuanced view. He said the government would never stop people from speaking Hindi and pointed to the presence of large German and Japanese communities in the state.

“All these foreigners can find their happiness in Tamil Nadu. I wonder why my Hindi-speaking friends can’t…" he said, adding that the state also has a duty to protect Tamil.

Language as an election campaign issue

The remarks come weeks before a crucial Assembly election.

The ruling DMK, allied with the Congress though ties are strained over seat-share talks, is seeking a second consecutive term and a fourth straight major election win over its Dravidian rival, the AIADMK, which has joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Language, an emotive issue in Tamil Nadu, is expected to be a key campaign theme, with the National Education Policy once again in focus.

National Education Policy debate

The NEP triggered a massive row when it was announced in 2019 and has flared up periodically. In February last year, tensions rose again after the centre pushed its three-language policy, which requires students to learn a third language in addition to English and the state language.

The Tamil Nadu government described this as an attempt to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states.

Two-language policy

Historically, southern states have been wary of attempts by the centre to impose Hindi over regional languages. In Tamil Nadu, this tension led to riots in the 1930s and 1960s.

The state follows a two-language policy, teaching Tamil and English in state-run schools. Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told last year that this helps students connect with their linguistic heritage while learning English allows them to engage globally.

Centre’s response

Responding to the protests from Tamil Nadu, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told there is “no question of imposing any language" and said the NEP would only correct an “over-reliance on foreign languages, limiting students’ exposure to linguistic roots".

News india ‘North Indians Know Only Hindi, Sell Pani Puri’: TN Minister Sparks Fresh Language Row

Read More