States » SouthPosted at: Oct 2 2026 1:08PM


Vijay Sarkar in dock over Hindi inscriptions in State Higways signboards, draws Oppn ire, suspends two engineers

Chennai, Oct 2 (UNI) Hindi inscriptions in the signboards of Tamil Nadu State Highways department has put the ruling TVK headed by Chief Minister Vijay in the dock, with the 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 in the directional signboard, even as PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna asserted that the TVk government would never allow three-language policy in any form and would hold aloft the long followed bilingual formula.
The new signboard, installed near the Karumeni river bridge on the Sathankulam-Nazareth in 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, the Hindi inscriptions were removed from the signboard. Subsequently, the Highways Department's Assistant Executive 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, the Hindi inscriptions were removed immediately. The Assistant Divisional Engineer and the Assistant Engineer of the Highways deoartment were temporarily placed under suspension and departmental action was initiated for acting against the government's two-language policy.
It also warned of stringent action against the 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 permanenent policy. The State headed by the TVK would never and ever taken a different stand on this.
Referring to the naming of places in Hindi in state highways signboards, he said a departmental enquiry revealed that due to some negligence of some officials the nameboard was kept in three languages as against the goverment's two-language policy. Immediately,
the Assistant Divisional Engineer and the Assistant Engineer were suspended last night itself and the three-languge nameboard was named and replaced with names in two languages -- Tamil and English.
Stating that a detailed inquiry was on, the Minister said it was pertinent to note that the government has 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-langauge formula in whichever form it come."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, after the Hindi inscriptions were found on a
State Highways Department signboard in Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district.
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 was shocking that on a signboard installed on State Highway No. 93 from the names of the towns have been written not only in Tamil and English but also in Hindi. 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.
In the past, several protests have been held in Tamil Nadu condemning the writing of town names in Hindi on national highways in the state. However, the state government itself writing town names in Hindi cannot be accepted, he said.
The government must conduct an inquiry into what the background to this and who is responsible. Action must be taken against those who committed the error. The Hindi lettering on the signboards must be removed immediately, he added.
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Tags: #Vijay Sarkar in dock over Hindi inscriptions in State Higways signboards# draws Oppn ire# suspends two engineers
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