Political analysts said this development could ramp up the ongoing fiery clashs between the Centre and Tamil Nadu
Uproar over meteorological centre in Chennai issuing weather bulletins in Hindi too
While the meteorological centre defended its move as a directive from Centre, critics, including political leaders and citizens, slammed the imposition of Hindi in TN
The decision of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai to include Hindi in its weather forecasts, along with Tamil and English, has sparked off a fierce debate in Tamil Nadu, marking the state as the first in South India to adopt trilingual reporting.
While the meteorological centre defended the move as a directive from the Centre, critics, including political leaders and citizens, decry it as an imposition of Hindi in a region staunchly committed to its Tamil identity.
Trilingual reporting
Historically, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai, covering Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and parts of neighbouring states, issued forecasts only in Tamil and English, adhering to the state’s two-language policy.
The addition of Hindi, now featured on the IMD’s website (https://mausam.imd.gov.in/chennai/), sets Tamil Nadu apart from its southern peers like Kerala and Karnataka, where reports remain bilingual.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted that this makes Tamil Nadu the first south Indian state to include a regional language, English, and Hindi in its weather updates.
Not new
Addressing the uproar, B Amudha, head of Chennai Meteorological Centre, defended the decision calling it an "administrative adjustment".
“This has been in effect since October 2024, following instructions from a parliamentary committee under the ministry of home affairs,” she said.
“The changes were implemented accordingly, and a translator has been appointed at the Chennai centre to issue forecasts in Hindi,” she added.
Amudha emphasised that the move aligns with central directives, framing it as an administrative adjustment rather than a local initiative.
Violation of two-language policy
Despite this explanation, the decision has been met with fierce criticism.
Madurai MP Su Venkatesan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemned it as a breach of Tamil Nadu’s linguistic autonomy. “This violates our two-language policy and the Official Languages Act, which exempts Tamil Nadu from Hindi mandates,” he said.
He also demanded that the order be reversed.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, too echoed this point. A spokesperson claimed, "The Centre’s third-language agenda will never succeed here.”
Political analysts said this development could ramp up the ongoing fiery clashs between the Centre and Tamil Nadu.
The state has repeatedly locked horns with New Delhi over issues like NEET, ‘One Nation, One Election,’ and now language policy and demilitation, viewing such moves as encroachments on its federal rights.
Next Story