MK Stalin criticises Centre for rebranding criminal laws ‘linguistic imperialism’

MK Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, has reopened the debate over the imposition of languages, accusing the BJP of forcing Hindi on states that do not use the language. The DMK leader is responding to the Centre’s initiative to update the nation’s criminal laws by substituting new statutes with Hindi titles for those from colonial times.

The renaming of the Indian Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Penal Code has been criticised by Stalin, a vociferous opponent of the BJP’s purported ‘Hindi imposition,’ as being illegal and an attempt to undermine India’s diversity. He has also charged linguistic imperialism against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

‘The audacious attempt by the Union BJP Government to tamper with the essence of India’s diversity through a sweeping overhaul – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill – reeks of linguistic imperialism. This is an affront to the very foundation of #INDIA’s unity. BJP and Prime Minister Modi have no moral right to even utter the word #Tamil hereafter,’ the chief minister wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

‘The fire of resistance against #HindiColonialism is ablaze once more. The BJP’s audacious bid to supplant our identity with Hindi will be opposed resolutely,’ he added.

By proposing the three legislation in Hindi, DMK MP Wilson has further charged the Centre with imposing Hindi on the entire nation. ‘I ask that the three legislation’ names be changed to English. According to Wilson, who was reported by the news outlet ANI, ‘mandatory Hindi should not be imposed because it involves imposing and is unconstitutional.’

Additionally, the DMK MP referred to the action as ‘unconstitutional.’

Following their passage by the Parliament, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) Bill, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) Bill, 2023, will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively.