Tamil activists and enthusiasts have raised concerns over the deteriorating condition of the Tamil Development and Cultural Center in Tirunelveli, which has remained abandoned, overgrown with bushes, and left without maintenance. They have urged the district administration to utilize the facility, at the very least, for the upcoming two-day official language seminar planned at the Tirunelveli Collector’s Office.
Located on Uzhuvai Road in NGO Colony, the center was constructed to host events for the Tamil Development Department. Spanning approximately 50 cents of land, the building covers 10,000 square feet, with 5,000 square feet on each floor. Its prime location near the Tirunelveli New Bus Stand makes it an ideal venue not only for Tamil Development Department activities but also for literary and cultural events. However, despite its potential, the center has remained inactive for years.
The administration of the center falls under the jurisdiction of the District Collector, with the Deputy Director of the Tamil Development Department serving as Secretary. Although there are additional officials such as Joint Secretaries and Executive Committee members, the facility has been left unused. Meanwhile, official language seminars continue to be held at the Collector’s Office instead of utilizing this purpose-built center.
Activists argue that shifting such events to the Tamil Development and Cultural Center would help restore its relevance. They also emphasize the need for its revival to support book publications, literary events, and other Tamil cultural activities. The call for action has reignited hopes that the neglected center will once again serve its intended purpose.
DMK’s Hypocrisy: Claim To Save Tamil While Letting It Deteriorate
For the past week, the ruling DMK has been loudly proclaiming that it is protecting Tamil from the “invasion” of other languages, particularly Hindi. But in reality, has the party truly safeguarded Tamil language and culture in the state? The answer is a resounding no. Just like the abandoned Tamil Development and Cultural Center in Tirunelveli—left to decay, overgrown with bushes, and without proper maintenance—Tamil itself has suffered under the Dravidianist rule.
Abysmal Levels Of Tamil Literacy Among Students As Per ASER Report 2024
A stark example of this neglect can be seen in the shocking findings of a Tamil reading assessment conducted for school students in the ASER report 2024:
Class 3 Reading Levels: A Crisis in Tamil Education
- 8.6% of students cannot even recognize letters in Tamil.
- 18.2% can identify letters but cannot read words.
- 36.3% can read words but fail to comprehend even a Class 1-level text.
- Shockingly, only 12% of Class 3 students can read at a Class 2 level.
The Learning Crisis in Government and Private Schools
- 86.8% of Class 3 government school students cannot read a Class 2 text.
- Even in private schools, 90% of Class 3 students fail to meet this benchmark.
- 63% of Class 5 government school students still struggle to read a Class 2 text.
- Alarmingly, even in private schools, 32.3% of Class 5 students fail this basic test.
These numbers expose the deep crisis in Tamil education, proving that the DMK’s rhetoric on protecting the language is nothing more than a political stunt. Instead of actually strengthening Tamil education, the party has let literacy rates plummet—leaving students unable to read in their own mother tongue.
No Tamil Prachar Sabha Established Anywhere In The Country
For all the talk about the presence of Hindi Prachar Sabha in Tamil Nadu, there is not a single Tamil Prachar Sabha established by the so-called guardians and saviours of Tamil language – the Dravidianists.
The DMK often boasts about its efforts to uphold the Tamil language, frequently citing its role in securing Classical Language status for Tamil in 2004. However, while the central government actively supports classical languages through various initiatives, the Tamil Nadu government has failed to implement similar measures to truly promote Tamil.
The benefits of Classical Language status are extensive—it helps preserve ancient knowledge, cultural identity, and literary traditions, fosters research and academic study by establishing research centers and university chairs, provides national awards for scholars, offers financial assistance to promote the language, and supports focused teaching and advanced studies. Despite these advantages, has the Tamil Nadu government established anything comparable to the Hindi Prachar Sabha? The answer is a big no.
While the central government allocates funds for the development of Tamil, the DMK has done little to establish dedicated institutions that systematically promote the language. Their claims of protecting Tamil remain empty rhetoric, with no real action to back them up.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)