News Tamil Nadu

Telugu-Speaking DMK Minister Ethirajulu Vajjaravelu Claims Tamil Is Under Threat

February 24, 2025
The Commune

DMK Minister of Public Works E. V. Velu, alias Ethirajalu Vajjaravelu, has recently added to the growing list of contradictions within the DMK’s stance on language politics in Tamil Nadu. While the party opposes the teaching of any third language in Tamil Nadu, Velu’s own school operates CBSE-affiliated institutions where Hindi is a mandatory subject.

Velu’s remarks came during the 32nd Muthamizh Mandram Palsuvai Literary Festival in Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur district. He passionately defended Tamil, questioning whether it was just to allow a 400-year-old language like Hindi to overshadow Tamil, which boasts a history of over 4,000 years. Velu’s rhetoric included harsh criticisms of the idea of Tamil being “threatened” by Hindi, stating, “Why should a language that’s been around for millennia be overrun by a language that’s been around for just a few centuries?” He also stated that the government alone cannot tackle this issue, and that Tamils must come together in unity.

DMK Minister E.V. Velu, who calls on Tamils to unite, is under scrutiny for owning a CBSE school, Jeeva Velu International School in Mathur, Tiruvannamalai, where Hindi is part of the curriculum.

The controversy deepens as Velu, hailing from the Telugu community, seems to appear to have a deep commitment to Tamil culture. This has led to criticism, especially after the DMK’s strong opposition to the central government’s policies, which now seems contradictory. Despite the DMK’s vocal protests against the three-language policy in government schools, all private institutions run by the party and its allies follow the CBSE curriculum, highlighting a clear disconnect between their actions and their political stance.

We had earlier exposed that nearly 30-40 DMK members had a CBSE school attached to them. EV Velu has plenty under his and his wife’s names.

Kathir Anand is already on that list along with DMK allies and Dravidianist parties like the TVK.

DMK MP Kathir Anand’s Kingston School

DMK MP Kathir Anand, son of DMK Minister Duraimurugan, serves as the Chairman of the Kingston Group of Institutions in Vellore, with his wife, Sangeetha Kathir Anand, holding the position of Chairwoman. The institution is a CBSE school that promotes holistic learning. However, despite the DMK’s vocal opposition to the three-language policy and the NEP 2020, the school ironically offers students the option to study Hindi, Tamil, and even Telugu as languages. This contradiction has raised eyebrows, especially given the party’s rhetoric on these issues.

DMK MLA Markandeyan’s Sri Ambal Vidhyalaya

Now, DMK MLA GV Markandeyan is under the spotlight. He is one of the managing trustees of a CBSE school named Sri Ambal Vidhyalaya in Vilathikulam, Thoothukudi. This is an English-medium CBSE school. It is noteworthy that GV Markandeyan is an MLA from the same constituency – Vilathikulam.

 

Part-Time Politician Vijay’s Vijay Vidyashram

Part-time politician Vijay was exposed a few days ago for running a CBSE school that promotes learning Hindi. Some videos of the students at the school have been circulating on social media. These are most likely from the school’s Instagram handle. In one such video is a Hindi play performed by Class 3 students. This is from a performance for Hindi Diwas.

VCK MP Thirumavalavan’s Blue Star Secondary School

Anti-NEP and Anti-Hindi VCK chief Thirumavalavan was also exposed recently by TN BJP President K Annamalai. Thirumavalavan ias associated with Blue Star Secondary School, a CBSE-affiliated school in Velachery, Chennai, which offers trilingual education.

The blatant hypocrisy of the Dravidianist parties and its allies cannot be ignored. While they vocally criticize the three-language policy and present themselves as champions of Tamil, the inconvenient truth is that they all run CBSE schools in Tamil Nadu that directly follows the very policy they claim to oppose. Their attempt to position themselves as saviours of Tamil language rights crumbles in the face of this exposed contradiction.

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