The debate over Hindi's role in Tamil Nadu has intensified, with DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai strongly opposing the idea of teaching the language in the state's schools. Reacting to Zoho Corp founder Sridhar Vembu’s remarks that engineers in Tamil Nadu should learn Hindi to better engage with customers in Mumbai and Delhi, Annadurai fired back: “Teach Hindi to your staff if your business needs it. Why should students in Tamil Nadu study Hindi because your business needs it?"
"Inversely, you can request the Union Govt to ensure rudimentary knowledge of English to school kids there, which would solve the problem. The only issue with these types is that they imagine ‘they are twice as smart’ than others. Pathetic,” the DMK leader said in a post on X.
Annadurai's statement came after Vembu argued that learning Hindi was a practical move for professionals in Tamil Nadu, given the state’s growing economic ties with northern business hubs. He shared his own experience, stating, “I have learned to read Hindi haltingly in the last 5 years and I can now understand about 20% of what is spoken.” Encouraging others to do the same, he said, “Ignore the politics, let us learn the language!”
The exchange comes amid a renewed language row in Tamil Nadu. Pro-Tamil activists and DMK workers recently blackened Hindi portions of railway station signboards at Pollachi Junction and Palayankottai, sparking controversy. Six DMK members were booked under the Railways Act for defacing the signage, reflecting the party’s ongoing resistance against what it calls “Hindi imposition.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has also escalated his criticism of the Centre, accusing it of “sowing the seeds of language war.” Reaffirming the DMK’s commitment to its bilingual policy of Tamil and English, he stated, “We are ready for it...we will not allow the domination of any other language.”
Meanwhile, former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai condemned the defacement of Hindi signboards, calling it a “big blow to Tamil Nadu.” He warned that such incidents could deter investors, saying, “CM MK Stalin should stop this before TN brand gets damaged badly by this extreme cultural violence.”