Exactly a year from now, Tamil Nadu will head to the polls. So, it is not a coincidence that the DMK has raked up the “Hindi imposition" bogey once again. The ruling party of Tamil Nadu knows that the only time-tested strategy for maintaining an edge in the state’s electoral politics is that of falling back on the Dravidianist plank. It’s an easy, conventional and non-innovative way of winning elections in the state. However, Tamil Nadu is going through a churn.

The BJP is no longer a force that can simply be wished away. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party has gone on to win successive assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra and most recently, Delhi. Even in the Lok Sabha election, the BJP bagged a double-digit vote share in Tamil Nadu and emerged as the third-largest party for the very first time – without an alliance with any Dravidianist party. Needless to say, this appears to have made the DMK and its ruling family very uncomfortable.

So, a language war is being orchestrated. In the line of fire is Hindi – a language crores of Indians use for communication across the length and breadth of the country. From North to South (yes, even the South), and from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh, Hindi is a pan-national language. In more ways than one, Hindi and English are equally important in India, today. Ironically, while the DMK appears almost disgusted........

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