Language and Dravidian vs Aryan debate back in focus in Tamil Nadu

Naam Tamizhar Katchi chief Seeman now projects himself as the prime challenger to the Dravidian parties and politics surrounding the ideology.

Chennai: Omission of a verse while rendering the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu or the State Anthem at an event presided over by Governor R N Ravi has not just brought the sensitive language issue back to the centerstage in Tamil Nadu politics, but also the debate over Tamil versus Dravidian. 

Though Doordarshan Tamil, the event’s organiser, and the Raj Bhavan clarified that the omission was “inadvertent” and not deliberate, the controversy refuses to die down with language having been an integral part of the state’s political landscape for the past several decades. 

While major political parties like DMK, AIADMK, Congress, VCK, and Left have warned of serious consequences if Hindi is “imposed” on the state, late actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK and the BJP have toed a different line by advocating the need for providing choices to students of the state to learn languages of their choice, indirectly opposing the two-language formula.

Tamil nationalist outfit Naam Tamizhar Katchi, whose influence among young voters is growing each election with the party scoring an impressive 8 per cent in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has gone a step ahead to reignite the Tamil vs Dravidian debate.

Naam Tamizhar Katchi leader Senthamizhan Seeman has not just said he wouldn’t continue with the state anthem if his party were to come to power, but has alleged that the song reflects only the Dravidian character, not that of Tamil. 

Seeman, who once revered E V R Periyar, now projects himself as the prime challenger to the Dravidian parties and politics surrounding the ideology. And that is the reason he has trained his guns on Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, which has its own share of controversies.

While declaring the song penned by Tamil poet Manonmaniam Sundaranar in the 1970s, then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had removed certain portions from the original song that talked about destruction of Aryan languages.

“There is no mention of Tamil in the entire song, but it is called Tamil Thai Vaazhthu. We will never accept that we are Dravidians. We are Tamils,” Seeman said. 

Tamil nationalists have been accusing the Dravidian parties of shedding their Tamil identity by harping “too much” on them being Dravidians. On Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin accused certain elements of spreading canards against Dravidian ideology but said it was here to stay forever. 

Political analyst Prof. Gladston Xavier told DH that the current version of Tamil Thai Vaazhthu has been in place at least since the 1970s and more than three generations have known this as the State Anthem. 

“Such controversies keep the flame going and take away attention from more important issues. Seeman taking a contrarian stand is expected as nobody will even pay attention to his remarks if he takes the same position as that of other parties,” Xavier said. He also added that the Governor should give up “combative politics” and indulge in “constructive politics” that includes criticism of the government, if needed, on policy issues. 

Tamil Nadu has witnessed two violent anti-Hindi agitations in 1935 and 1965 which forced the Union Government to announce that English will function as a link language till the time the state accepts Hindi. It was in 1968 after the DMK rode to power decimating the Congress that the state formally announced that it will follow a two-language formula of Tamil and English. 

It is only off-late that parties like BJP and DMDK have been opposing the two-language formula, though these outfits say they are against imposition of any language, including Hindi. These parties realise that language is still a live wire in Tamil Nadu and they have been taking a cautious stand without explicitly approving of Hindi being taught in the state.