Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin triggered a fresh political storm after he reportedly referred to Sanskrit as a “dead language", questioning the Union government’s funding priorities and taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments on Tamil.
Speaking at an event in Chennai, Udhayanidhi criticised the Centre for promoting Sanskrit while accusing it of sidelining Tamil. Directing pointed questions at the Prime Minister, he said, “When you’re eager to learn Tamil, why are you making kids learn Hindi and Sanskrit?" He further claimed that the Union government had allocated ₹2400 crore to Sanskrit, but only ₹150 crore to Tamil over the past ten years.
The remarks quickly escalated into a political flashpoint, with the BJP accusing Udhayanidhi of disrespecting cultural traditions and religious sentiment.
Reacting sharply, BJP leader and former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned the comments, saying that Tamil culture does not endorse belittling other languages. “We can appreciate our own language, but even Tamil won’t allow degrading other languages," she said, adding, “If you appreciate one language, it does not mean you are degrading another mother tongue."
Calling Udhayanidhi’s comments “highly condemnable," Soundararajan said he had previously insulted Sanatana Dharma, and was now targeting a language “used in all our prayers." She demanded that the Deputy Chief Minister withdraw his remarks immediately. “My mother tongue, Tamil, is broad-minded and lauded by people who speak other languages. He must take back his words," she added.
Udhayanidhi’s comments come amid an ongoing national debate over language imposition, cultural identity, and regional pride issues that continue to shape political discourse across Tamil Nadu and beyond.
