Tamil Nadu removes Hindi signboard after Stalin's political attack

The Tamil Nadu government moved swiftly to remove Hindi text from a state highway signboard after facing political backlash from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin, who accused the administration of promoting the national language at the expense of Tamil.

The state highways department suspended two officials in connection with the signboard installation, which had featured both Tamil and Hindi lettering. The decision to remove the Hindi portion came within days of Stalin's public criticism of the bilingual display, reflecting the continued sensitivity surrounding language politics in the southern state.

The incident underscores the enduring tensions in Tamil Nadu over the prominence of Hindi versus regional Tamil in public spaces and government communications. Language has historically been a contentious political issue in the state, with various parties maintaining strong positions on protecting Tamil's status and limiting Hindi usage in official settings.

The state government's quick action to remove the Hindi lettering and initiate disciplinary proceedings against the officials suggests an attempt to defuse the controversy and demonstrate responsiveness to the concerns raised by major political parties in the state.