Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Tamil Nadu on Sunday, took a swipe at the ruling DMK government over the ongoing language issue and questioned why politicians from the state sign official documents in English rather than Tamil. “Tamil is a language of pride. I am surprised no one signs their name in Tamil,” Modi said, urging the state’s politicians to embrace their native language in official correspondence.
Modi’s remarks came amid the ongoing controversy over the Centre’s proposed three-language policy, which the DMK has vehemently opposed, claiming it would impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu. The state has a long history of resisting policies perceived as favoring Hindi over regional languages. Despite these concerns, Modi emphasized his commitment to promoting Tamil globally, even suggesting the introduction of medical education in Tamil.
In addition to addressing the language issue, Modi responded to allegations from the DMK-led state government regarding insufficient central funds. The Prime Minister countered by stating that the BJP-led government had allocated three times more funds to Tamil Nadu in the past decade than the previous UPA administration, which included the DMK as a coalition partner. "Yet, some people have developed a habit of complaining without reason. They keep crying about issues," he remarked.
During the visit, Modi inaugurated the Pamban vertical lift railway bridge and several other infrastructure projects worth Rs 8,000 crore in Tamil Nadu. He highlighted the sharp increase in railway budget allocations for the state, noting that the allocation had risen from Rs 900 crore before 2014 to over Rs 6,000 crore this year. Modi also flagged off a new train service between Rameswaram and Tambaram in Chennai, underscoring the government's commitment to the state's development.
Modi’s speech also focused on the Centre’s infrastructure investments in Tamil Nadu. He pointed out that 77 railway stations, including Rameswaram, were undergoing modernization. Additionally, 4,000 km of roads had been constructed with central assistance since 2014, contributing to job creation across various sectors.
The Prime Minister further highlighted several welfare initiatives supported by the Centre, including the construction of 12 lakh pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the provision of piped drinking water to more than 1 crore households, and the distribution of over 1 crore treatments under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. These initiatives, Modi said, have resulted in savings of approximately Rs 8,000 crore for Tamil Nadu families.
On the recurring issue of Tamil fishermen being detained by Sri Lanka, Modi assured the state that the Centre had successfully secured the release of 3,700 fishermen over the past decade, including more than 600 in the past year, some of whom had faced the death sentence.
Modi’s visit marks his first to Tamil Nadu since beginning his third term as Prime Minister. However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin did not attend the event, citing prior engagements in the Nilgiris.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)