BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of trying to create regional divide

BJP National Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi addresses a press conference, in New Delhi. File | Photo Credit: PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday (October 11, 2026) dismissed Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that the Centre was attacking Tamil language, history, and culture as baseless, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives to promote Tamil heritage in India and abroad.

On Saturday (October 10), in Chennai, Mr. Gandhi alleged that the government had launched a “full-scale attack” on Tamil culture, language, history, and traditions through language imposition and centralisation of entrance examinations like NEET.

Countering the charge, BJP MP and spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited the Prime Minister’s address to the UN General Assembly in September 2019, where Mr. Modi had highlighted the religious and literary aspects of Tamil culture and the language.

“The reality is that the Tamil language has been given full respect during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure...the sacred Sengol, a symbol of Tamil culture, was placed in the new Parliament building (2023). The Congress opposed it,” he said at a press conference.

Tamil heritage