New Delhi (India), March 1: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin celebrated his 72nd birthday on Saturday with heartfelt tributes, greetings from political leaders, and a strong stance against the Centre’s language policies.
Actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay extended his birthday wishes to the CM, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined the celebrations by sending his greetings via a post on the social media platform X. The Prime Minister wrote, “Birthday greetings to Tamil Nadu CM Thiru MK Stalin. May he lead a long and healthy life.”
Tamil cinema legend Rajinikanth also joined the birthday celebrations with a personal phone call to CM Stalin, offering his warm wishes. On his special day, Stalin began by paying floral tributes to CN Annadurai, the founder of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and former Chief Minister, at the Anna Memorial located at Marina Beach in Chennai. He also distributed chocolates to school children at the Muthamizharignar Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi Memorial.
As part of the celebrations, CM Stalin received greetings from political leaders, including members of the alliance parties and the DMK.
In addition to the birthday festivities, CM Stalin continued to voice his strong opposition to the New Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, particularly the controversial “three-language formula.” Stalin has raised concerns that the Centre is attempting to “impose” Hindi. On February 28, actor Kamal Haasan, the founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam, met with CM Stalin and praised him for his stand against the three-language policy. Haasan called Stalin a “bulwark” in protecting the state and its language, culture, and identity. Haasan further expressed his support on X, saying, “At a time when the people of Tamil Nadu, the Tamil language, and Tamil culture are facing various pressures, Mr. Stalin, like his predecessors, has emerged as a bulwark to protect Tamil Nadu. I congratulate him with joy. Long live the people!”
On the issue of the NEP, CM Stalin emphasized the importance of innovation over linguistic imposition, advocating for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced translation technology to bridge language barriers. He criticized BJP leaders for pushing the idea of Hindi as a necessity for day-to-day life in North India, suggesting that these challenges can be solved using AI. “In the Age of AI, forcing any language as a third language in schools is unnecessary,” he wrote on X. “Advanced translation technology already removes language barriers instantly.”
The birthday celebrations highlighted not only Stalin’s leadership but also his firm stand on protecting Tamil culture and language in the face of national policy changes.