Two-language policy foundational achievement of Dravidian movement: MK Stalin

CHENNAI: Reaffirming Tamil Nadu's steadfast commitment to its linguistic identity, DMK chief M K Stalin on Monday spotlighted the two-language policy as a foundational achievement of the Dravidian movement.

Speaking at a marriage ceremony here, Stalin invoked the legacy of late Chief Minister C N Annadurai to underscore the historical mandate behind the state's language stance -- a policy implemented to prioritise Tamil and English while rejecting the imposition of a three-language formula.

"When Anna assumed office as chief minister for the first time in 1967 and entered the Assembly, he fulfilled three pearl-like schemes for our Tamil Nadu. One is the two-language policy, another is the event of naming the state as Tamil Nadu, and next is the law validating self-respect marriages," Stalin said.

The former chief minister's remarks came while presiding over the self-respect wedding of DMK functionaries.

Stalin noted that such marriages, which dispense with traditional religious rites and are instead conducted under the principles of the Thirukkural, gained their vital legal sanction only through Annadurai's legislative interventions.

The DMK chief utilised the occasion to push for linguistic pride. He advised the couple to exclusively choose "beautiful Tamil names" for their future children, urging them to live as "lights to the household and servants to the nation" as envisioned by revolutionary poet Bharathidasan.