New delhi / chennai — Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Member of parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has once again raised concerns about cultural and linguistic identity in tamil Nadu, saying that india must safeguard its traditional art forms and language in the face of growing outside influences.
Speaking at a public cultural event in tamil Nadu, kanimozhi said that many of the state’s traditional art forms and linguistic expressions have been disrupted or diluted, going beyond mere language concerns to touch on the broader preservation of cultural identity.
‘Our Art and language Have Been Undermined’
Kanimozhi asserted that Tamil Nadu’s own cultural forms — including music, folk art, and language — are being sidelined, replaced by trends and performances that are not rooted in local tradition. She suggested that external influences have taken over much of what was historically unique to the tamil cultural landscape, and that this trend must be recognized and resisted if the community’s linguistic and artistic heritage is to remain vibrant.
Her comments reflect wider political debates in the state on language and identity, particularly in response to recent discussions around language policy and educational reforms promoted by the central government. kanimozhi and her party have been vocal critics of policies they view as potentially harmful to regional languages and arts.
Language as Identity and Culture
In previous interviews, kanimozhi has emphasised that language is a core part of a people’s identity, and warned against any form of linguistic imposition that could erode this foundation. She has pointed to examples where smaller linguistic communities have lost their art, culture, and language when dominant languages replaced local traditions in literature, cinema, and music.
Her remarks come amid ongoing dialogue over the three‑language policy in indian education, where she and other DMK leaders argue that tamil Nadu’s language and cultural identity should not be compromised by central directives.
Broader Cultural Preservation Efforts
Kanimozhi’s speech also aligns with her party’s broader efforts to highlight the value of preserving folk traditions and passing them to future generations — a theme she has stressed in multiple public forums. Protecting and promoting indigenous arts, she argues, is essential not only for cultural pride but also for social cohesion and historical continuity.
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