Pawan Kalyan's 'Tamil films dubbed in Hindi' jab adds fresh spark

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) today responded to remarks made by actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan over the ongoing language debate. The Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister had accused Tamil Nadu politicians of hypocrisy, questioning why they opposed Hindi imposition while allowing Tamil films to be dubbed into Hindi for commercial benefits.

DMK spokesperson Dr Syed Hafeezullah dismissed Kalyan's argument, calling it a "hollow understanding" of Tamil Nadu's stance on linguistic policies. "Tamil Nadu has never opposed individuals learning Hindi or any other language. What we oppose is the imposition of Hindi or any language on the people of our state," he said.

The rebuttal comes amid debate on the National Education Policy (NEP) and the Centre's push for Hindi, which Tamil Nadu has historically resisted. DMK leaders insist that equating language policy with business decisions - such as dubbing films - was an oversimplification that ignored the state's longstanding linguistic position.

Kalyan, founder of the Janasena Party, a key NDA ally, and a supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at Tamil Nadu politicians for their resistance to Hindi. He questioned why Tamil Nadu leaders protested against Hindi while Tamil films continued to be dubbed into Hindi to cater to a national audience.

The DMK responded by saying that Tamil Nadu already has Hindi Prachar Sabhas that voluntarily teach Hindi to those interested. "If people want to learn Hindi, they are welcome to do so. The issue arises when the Central government mandates Hindi learning through policies like the NEP or PM SHRI schools," Hafeezullah said.

The BJP backed Kalyan's remarks. The party argued that Hindi, as India's national language, should be promoted more aggressively in southern states. "Hindi is our national language, and the government is working to ensure it reaches the masses. Unfortunately, previous governments have tried to suppress the culture of nationalism. The use of Hindi should be implemented strongly in the South as well," BJP leader Vikram Randhawa said.