In a significant judgment, the Nellai District Court has convicted seven individuals, including a senior functionary of the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), in connection with the defacement of Hindi signage at the Palayamkottai Railway Station.
The incident occurred on 23 February 2025, when members of the DMK blackened the Hindi word “Palayamkottai” on a notice board at the station. The protest was part of a demonstration against the central government’s three-language policy, with participants raising slogans such as “Long live Tamil” (“தமிழ் வாழ்க”) to assert linguistic rights and regional identity.
Following legal proceedings, the case was heard in the Fourth Judicial Magistrate Court (Main Criminal Division). The court sentenced the seven accused, including Rajavarman Kannan, Deputy Secretary of the DMK’s State Executive Committee, to one month of imprisonment. However, all accused were granted release upon payment of a fine of ₹1,000 each.
In February 2025, DMK cadres defaced Hindi words on the boards of central government offices and buildings at locations including Sankarankoil, Pollachi, and Palayamkottai railway stations, as well as on the boards and banners at the Parangi Malai post office and BSNL office.
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