In a fiery speech in the Rajya Sabha on March 22, 2025, Amit Shah, the Home Minister of India, launched a scathing attack on the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), accusing the party of using language politics to cover up its corruption. His remarks came during a debate on various issues affecting the nation, where the Home Minister took a strong stance against the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, specifically targeting its leadership and their handling of governance and accountability.
Shah’s comments echoed through the upper house of Parliament, where tensions between the ruling BJP and the DMK have been simmering over the past few months, particularly in the wake of recent political developments in Tamil Nadu. The minister’s speech sent waves through both political circles and the public, raising questions about the ongoing feud between the two parties and the broader political landscape in the state.
The Context of the Criticism
Amit Shah’s remarks were part of a broader discussion on political accountability, governance, and regional language issues in India. Over the years, the DMK has been known for its strong stance on promoting the Tamil language, often citing language-based pride and identity as central to its politics. The DMK leadership has used the issue of Tamil pride as a tool for galvanizing support among the people of Tamil Nadu, often framing it as a counterpoint to the national politics of the BJP.
However, Shah’s recent comments targeted what he described as the DMK’s opportunistic use of language issues to cover up its alleged corruption and poor governance. Shah accused the party of using the rhetoric of Tamil identity and pride to divert attention from more pressing issues such as economic mismanagement and corruption within its ranks.
Amit Shah’s Allegations: Language as a Distraction
During his speech, Amit Shah stated, “Language is a beautiful tool of expression, but don’t use it to hide your corruption. The DMK has been using Tamil pride as a shield to cover up its failures in governance. When people question the ruling party about their mismanagement, they shift the conversation to language politics instead of addressing the real issues.”
Shah’s remarks were particularly pointed given the DMK’s history of raising the flag of Tamil pride and language issues in their opposition to the central government, which often advocates the use of Hindi as a unifying language in India. This issue has always been sensitive in Tamil Nadu, where the state has a strong cultural attachment to the Tamil language, and the DMK has consistently advocated for its preservation and prominence.
However, Shah seemed to argue that the DMK’s emphasis on Tamil pride was a convenient excuse to deflect attention from their administrative failures, including allegations of corruption in government schemes, poor implementation of welfare programs, and questionable business dealings. By invoking the emotional appeal of language, Shah suggested that the DMK was trying to avoid the hard questions about their governance and integrity.
Response from the DMK
The Home Minister’s comments were met with immediate backlash from the DMK leadership, which accused Shah of trying to deflect from the central government’s failures by shifting the blame onto state governments like Tamil Nadu. T.K.S. Elangovan, the DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP, responded vehemently, calling Shah’s remarks “baseless and disrespectful” towards the people of Tamil Nadu and their cultural identity.
Elangovan stated, “Amit Shah’s remarks are an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu. The DMK has always stood for the preservation of Tamil language and culture, and we will continue to do so. His attempt to accuse us of hiding corruption through language is just an effort to shift the focus from the real issues facing the country under the BJP government.”
The DMK also accused the BJP of being out of touch with the regional aspirations and concerns of the people of Tamil Nadu, adding that the BJP’s nationalist agenda often fails to resonate with local sentiments. The state’s politics, according to the DMK, have always been shaped by regional pride, which cannot be dismissed as mere distractions by national leaders from other states.
The Bigger Political Picture
Shah’s comments are part of the larger political battle between the BJP and the DMK, two parties with starkly different ideologies and approaches to governance. While the BJP has positioned itself as a nationalist party focused on a unified India, the DMK has long been a champion of regional autonomy and the protection of local languages and identities. This ideological divide has led to a strained relationship between the two parties, especially on issues related to language, federalism, and cultural preservation.
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK has been the dominant political force, especially after the AIADMK’s decline in recent years. The BJP, which has made inroads in the state through its alliance with smaller regional parties, has been trying to weaken the DMK’s grip on the state’s political landscape. In this context, Shah’s comments appear to be aimed at eroding the DMK’s strong base by questioning its governance record and accusing it of misusing regional issues for political gain.
At the same time, the DMK has consistently raised concerns about the BJP’s policies on issues such as national language imposition, centralization of power, and economic inequality, which have left the party at odds with the central government. The state of Tamil Nadu, with its unique identity and political dynamics, remains a key battleground for both parties ahead of future elections.
Language Politics and National Unity
Amit Shah’s remarks also bring into focus the ongoing debate about language politics in India. While the promotion of Hindi as the national language is a long-standing BJP agenda, it has been met with resistance in various states, particularly Tamil Nadu, where the state’s anti-Hindi movement has historical significance. The DMK has been a strong proponent of Tamil as the official language of the state, fearing that Hindi could marginalize regional languages and cultures.
Shah’s attempt to reframe the issue of Tamil identity as a tool to distract from corruption is part of a broader effort by the BJP to assert a national identity over regional claims. However, this strategy has faced significant challenges, particularly in states with strong regional identities like Tamil Nadu. The rhetoric of language politics has the potential to stoke further divisions, especially if it continues to be used as a political tool to attack the leadership of states governed by regional parties.
Conclusion: Political Rift Deepens
Amit Shah’s scathing remarks against the DMK in the Rajya Sabha have certainly added fuel to the ongoing political rivalry between the BJP and the DMK. His criticism of the DMK’s alleged use of language politics to cover up corruption has intensified the already heated debate over regionalism, governance, and language issues. While the DMK has strongly rejected Shah’s accusations, the party now faces the challenge of defending its political record and addressing the accusations of corruption while continuing to emphasize the importance of Tamil language and culture.
The political landscape in Tamil Nadu is likely to remain highly charged as both parties gear up for the upcoming elections. Whether or not Shah’s attack will have a lasting impact on the DMK’s popularity remains to be seen, but it has undeniably intensified the ongoing battle for political supremacy in the state.
As the confrontation continues, the language debate and the issue of corruption in governance will likely be central to the political discourse in Tamil Nadu, shaping the future direction of both regional and national politics.
