DMK objects to trilingual medicine covers in TN hospitals; minister says similar package approved during previous regime

CHENNAI: The opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu has slammed the TVK government over the use of trilingual medicine covers in two state-run hospitals, seeking to know if the 3-language formula was being implemented in TN, with the ruling TVK accusing the Dravidian party of harping on the language issue for survival.

Health and Family Welfare Minister KG Arunraj also said that a similar packaging was approved during the previous DMK regime.

Officials at the government hospitals in Coimbatore and Karur moved swiftly to halt the distribution of trilingual medicine covers, printed in Tamil, English and Hindi, following the controversy.

The row erupted after packaging bearing dosage instructions in Tamil, English, and Hindi reached patients at state-run medical facilities, drawing sharp criticism from the DMK.

DMK leader and former minister TRB Rajaa shared photographs showing the medicine covers distributed at the Karur facility, accusing authorities of covertly enforcing the three-language policy within the public healthcare network.

Tamil Nadu has been, for decades, following the bilingual formula, using Tamil and English in the state and has been opposed to the use of Hindi.

"It seems like the three-language policy is being implemented in Tamil Nadu hospitals too! First Karur...now the same situation in Coimbatore as well..." Rajaa said on his X handle.

Hitting back, Arunraj accused DMK of resorting to the language issue for "political survival." The senior TVK leader also charged the main opposition party with "shedding crocodile tears."

Arunraj, in a statement said that typically, tablet packets are sourced from the Central Prison, bearing instructions printed solely in Tamil.

"Due to a supply shortage from the prison during the previous DMK administration, an emergency order for four lakh covers was placed with the Erode District Printing Industrial Co-operative Society on December 31, 2025 and these covers were distributed to the public in January 2026 during their (DMK) tenure", he said.

"Similalry, exactly three years ago in Coimbatore, under the DMK rule, similar packaging was officially approved, printed via the Chinthamani Co-operative Society, and put into circulation", he added.

The minister questioned why DMK leaders, who allowed Hindi text, created the template, and circulated it among patients during their own regime, were now posing as "language guardians" and shifting the blame onto the present administration.

He noted that the current administration merely procured stock based on warehouse demand without altering the design or language layout introduced under the DMK regime.

Arun Raj said that upon learning of the issue, the administration immediately halted the distribution of these specific covers at both locations.

Reaffirming the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) unyielding commitment to Dravidian stalwart, late Chief Minister CN Annadurai's two-language policy, Arunraj asserted that the party would never compromise on this principle.

He urged the DMK to abandon "deceitful politics" and adopt the role of a constructive opposition.