India, Feb. 27 -- Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin came down heavily on the central government in the three-language row, claiming that forced adoption of Hindi language has "swallowed" 25 north Indian languages over the years.

"The push for a monolithic Hindi identity is what kills ancient mother tongues. UP and Bihar were never just "Hindi heartlands." Their real languages are now relics of the past," Stalin said in a post on X, sharing the letter he has written in connection with the incident.

Tamil Nadu's DMK government and the Centre have been at loggerheads over the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP), which necessitates the inclusion of Hindi.

Stalin said in his letter that the notion of Hindi bein...