palayamkottai railway station DMK Members Sentenced for Defacing Hindi Signboards

In a significant verdict, the Nellai District Court has sentenced seven DMK members, including the Engineers' Wing Deputy Secretary Rajavarman, in connection with the defacement of Hindi signboards at Palayamkottai railway station. This incident took place on February 23, 2024, as part of a protest against the alleged imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu. The protest was triggered by a statement made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who remarked that education funds would be released to Tamil Nadu only if the state accepted the National Education Policy (NEP). This statement drew sharp criticism from the DMK and its alliance partners, who saw it as a move to force Hindi upon non-Hindi-speaking states.

In response, DMK cadres organized state-wide protests against Hindi imposition. At Palayamkottai railway station, Rajavarman led a group of DMK supporters who used black paint to erase Hindi writings from the official signboards. In their place, they wrote slogans such as "Long Live Tamil" and raised chants condemning the central government's language policies. The act was a direct expression of resistance to what they considered cultural and linguistic dominance.

Upon learning about the incident, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Nellai arrived at the scene and conducted an inquiry. Based on the investigation, they filed a case against the seven individuals under sections related to trespassing, damaging public property, and unauthorized access to a protected area. The legal proceedings continued for several months at the Nellai District Court.

On June 9, 2025, the court delivered its verdict. The judge found all seven accused guilty and sentenced them to one month of imprisonment. However, the court also provided the option of paying a fine of ₹10,000 each in lieu of jail time. Following the verdict, all seven DMK members, including Rajavarman, chose to pay the fine.

The incident has once again brought the spotlight on the ongoing language debate in Tamil Nadu, where resistance to Hindi imposition remains a politically and emotionally charged issue. DMK, known for its strong stance on Tamil identity and federal rights, has consistently opposed the NEP and any move perceived as centralizing language or education policies. The court’s decision marks a legal closure to the act of protest but is unlikely to silence the larger political discourse surrounding language and cultural autonomy in the state.