Poonam Sharma
New Delhi: In a stinging but understated jibe in his speech at Rameswaram on April 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the hornet’s nest of language politics in Tamil Nadu buzzing. In his remarks after opening the New Pamban Bridge, PM Modi said he was surprised that none of the letters he gets from Tamil Nadu ministers carry his name in Tamil—despite their constant claims of Tamil pride.
“If you are Tamil prideful, then I would appeal to everyone at least to put your signature in Tamil,” said the Prime Minister. It was a declaration as much an invitation as an imperative—a push against the perceived disconnect between rhetoric and action, targeted squarely at the ruling DMK government of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
This remark adds fuel to the already simmering debate over linguistic identity in the state, where the DMK has repeatedly accused the Centre of pushing Hindi hegemony through policies like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. PM Modi’s statement flips the script: if Tamil leaders truly uphold Tamil heritage, why not express it in the most fundamental form—by writing their names in Tamil?
The DMK’s resistance to the NEP’s three-language formula has been one of its most prominent policy stands. Arguing that the policy imposes Hindi at the cost of regional languages, Stalin and his party have consistently positioned themselves as defenders of Tamil linguistic autonomy. In this political climate, PM Modi’s comments serve as a rhetorical counter—suggesting that symbolic pride must translate into authentic cultural expression.
The essence of Modi’s remark is not merely linguistic—it is political. It calls into question the genuineness of the DMK’s cultural nationalism and indirectly suggests that Tamil pride is being selectively used for political expediency and not followed consistently. By pointing out something as mundane as the signature on a letter, Modi uncovers what he perceives as a performative aspect of the DMK’s politics.
But the Prime Minister didn’t limit his appeal to symbolism. In a more substantial one, he called upon the Tamil Nadu government to make medical education available in Tamil. “I would appeal to the Tamil Nadu government to commence medical courses in the language of Tamil so that even the sons and daughters of poor families can realize their dream of becoming doctors,” Modi said, emphasizing that language should never stand in the way of aspiration.
This proposal fits into a wider national effort by the Centre to extend technical and professional education in regional languages. It offers an attractive vision: allowing students to study complicated subjects in their home language may democratize education and break the reliance on Hindi or English, particularly for rural and economically weaker communities.
It’s a message that resonates in Tamil Nadu, where education has been viewed for decades as the currency of socio-economic mobility. By proposing that Tamil be employed not merely as a language of pride but of pedagogy, Modi puts the onus on the DMK to take its rhetoric and back it with action.
PM Modi also used his speech to highlight the Centre’s support for Tamil Nadu’s fishermen, often caught in maritime disputes with Sri Lanka. “Your security and well-being remain a top priority for the government,” he said, noting that over 3,700 fishermen have been successfully repatriated from Sri Lanka in the past decade—over 600 in the last year alone.
This part of the speech was a reminder that national governance extends beyond symbolism into tangible welfare efforts. For many in the coastal communities of Tamil Nadu, especially in areas like Rameswaram, these efforts resonate more strongly than ideological debates about language. Modi’s emphasis here is strategic—it links the BJP’s national governance to local concerns in a way that challenges the DMK’s regional dominance.
The conflict between national policy and Tamil identity is one that goes way back. Between anti-Hindi agitations during the 1960s to recent arguments involving school curriculum and signage, the politics of Tamil Nadu has primarily been around saving linguistic and cultural identity. All that Modi has done is spotlight the performance of that identity.
Is Tamil pride only about opposing Hindi, or should it also be reflected in daily actions—like using the Tamil script for official signatures or making Tamil a medium of instruction in higher education?
PM Modi’s challenge reframes the debate. It urges introspection: are regional leaders genuinely fostering Tamil language and culture, or merely using it as a political shield?
In many ways, Modi’s remarks are part of a broader attempt by the BJP to redefine its engagement with southern states—particularly Tamil Nadu, where it has traditionally struggled to gain a foothold. By championing Tamil as a global heritage language and advocating for its use in education, Modi positions the BJP not as an enemy of Tamil culture, but as a pragmatic partner in its preservation and promotion.
But the bigger question is: will symbolic acts such as signing in Tamil or teaching medical courses in the language actually be implemented by the DMK? Or will the political tug-of-war go on, with language still a battlefield and not a bridge?
As India negotiates its cultural and linguistic diversity, it is critical that all stakeholders go beyond sloganeering. If Tamil is indeed a treasure—as Modi and Stalin concur—then it needs to be lived, practiced, and employed, not politically enacted.
In that spirit, perhaps it’s time for every leader who claims to protect Tamil identity to take Modi’s suggestion seriously: start with your name. Sign in Tamil. Let pride begin where authenticity does.
The post PM Modi’s Call for Tamil Pride: Language, Identity, and Political Messaging appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates.
