A Saravanan, spokesperson for the DMK, slammed Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme for its Hindi title, saying the language was inappropriate in Tamil Nadu. He argued that Hindi had never been accepted in the state and questioned why the Congress chose it over Tamil or English, adding, "Didn't anyone tell him that Hindi is unwelcome in Tamil Nadu? Why couldn't it be named in English or Tamil?"
Mohan Kumaramangalam, a senior Congress leader, dismissed the criticism as absurd. He reminded the DMK that Rahul Gandhi delivered the programme in English with Tamil translation and that the Congress has supported Tamil identity while promoting Hindi nationally under the three‑language policy. "The DMK's comment is absurd," he declared, citing the Congress's past support for Tamil students in national schemes.
The row follows the DMK’s decision to break the long‑standing alliance with the Congress after the 2024 Tamil Nadu assembly election, a move that has strained cooperation in the Lok Sabha. Since then, the DMK has walked out of the India bloc and has refused to sit in close proximity to the Congress benches, signalling a sharp realignment in parliamentary dynamics.
The dispute has spilled into parliamentary dynamics. During the Monsoon Session, the DMK declined to join the opposition walkout on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, instead taking part in debates on the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill. This shift illustrates the party’s willingness to defy the Congress on procedural grounds.
The conflict underscores the DMK’s broader push to protect Tamil linguistic heritage, a stance that has historically caused friction whenever central initiatives use Hindi. It also reflects the party’s readiness to confront the Congress over perceived cultural encroachments and to leverage its parliamentary position.
With the next vote on the Public Examinations Amendment Bill slated for the coming week, observers expect the DMK to use its new stance to influence the outcome and to further distance itself from the Congress bloc.