States » SouthPosted at: Oct 2 2026 5:11PM


Vijay Sarkar in dock over Hindi in State Highways signboard, draws Oppn ire, suspends two engineers

Chennai, Oct 2 (UNI) Hindi on a State Highways signboard has put the ruling TVK headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay in the dock, with Opposition parties including the DMK and PMK terming it as Hindi imposition, even as two engineers were suspended in
this connection.
After the controversy surfaced amid allegations of Hindi opposition, the government, however in a swift move, on Friday suspended two engineers of the Highways department after removing the Hindi names on the directional signboard, even as PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna asserted that the TVK government would never allow a three-language policy in any form and would uphold the long-followed bilingual formula.
The new signboard, installed near the Karumeni river bridge on the Sathankulam-Nazareth stretch of SH-93 in the southern Thoothukudi district, carried directions to Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Alwarthirunagari and Tiruchendur, and the names were displayed in Tamil, Hindi and English, in that order.
The presence of Hindi on the board drew public attention and triggered criticism, as most State Highways Department signboards generally carry names in Tamil and English. The issue also went viral on social media.
Following the objections, Hindi was removed from the signboard. Subsequently, the Highways Department's Assistant Divisional Engineer and Assistant Engineer concerned with the installation were suspended.
An official release said soon after it came to the government's attention that places names were written in Hindi along with Tamil and English, names in Hindi were removed immediately. It also warned of stringent action against government staff acting against the government's two-language formula.
Coinciding with the official release issued by the government, Aadhav Arjuna, in a lengthy post on X, wrote : the two-language policy ushered in by late leader and DMK Stalwart C.N.Annadurai is the TVK's lifeline and permanent policy. The State headed by the TVK would never and ever take a different stand on this.
Referring to the signboard issue, he said a departmental enquiry revealed that the nameboard was displayed in three languages due to
the negligence of some officials. Stating that a detailed inquiry was ongoing, the Minister said it was pertinent to note that the government acted swiftly within a few hours after having come to know of the incident.
Assuring that legal and departmental action would be taken against those acting against the governmet's two-language stand, Aadhav Arjuna declared that the government would destroy the three-language formula in whichever form it comes."We will hold aloft the
two-language policy", he added.
Meanwhile, DMK president and former CM MK Stalin and PMK President and Rajya Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss warned the TVK government against making any changes to Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy.
Stalin in a post on X said,Till now, Tamil Nadu has only faced Hindi imposition by the union government and sought to know whether the state government itself doing it (hindi imposition) is the change they said. He also asked whether it was yet another attempt by the TVK regime to ake a 'U Turn' after seeing pulse of the people and after facing stiff opposition.
"I warn the TVK government, which is running a reels government for the Northern State influencers, to realize this danger and change its approach immediately...The two-language policy is Tamil Nadu's lifeline..Don't play with it! #StopHindiImposition”", Stalin said.
Anbumani, also a former union Minister, said writing the names of towns in Hindi on state highway signboards was wrong. It is condemnable that the state government itself has displayed the names in Hindi in Tamil Nadu, a state that has fought against the imposition of Hindi.
UNI GV 1700
Tags: #Vijay Sarkar in dock over Hindi in State Highways signboard# draws Oppn ire# suspends two engineers
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