Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Hindi Medicine Covers Trigger Tamil Nadu Political Row
Some government hospitals in Tamil Nadu gave patients medicine covers with instructions in Tamil, English and Hindi.
A DMK leader objected to seeing Hindi on the covers.
He said it looked like the government was bringing in a three-language policy.
Officials in Karur said the covers had been ordered under the previous government, though they were used only recently.
Officials in Coimbatore said their covers had been supplied earlier and replaced them with ones in Tamil and English.
Health Minister K.G. Aruraj said the current government had used covers already in stock.
He said both hospitals stopped using the Hindi-printed covers after the issue was raised.
The disagreement became a political argument between the DMK and the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam.
Medicine covers carrying instructions in Tamil, English and Hindi were used at government medical college hospitals in Karur and Coimbatore.
DMK leader T.R.B. Rajaa criticized the use of Hindi and alleged that a three-language policy was being implemented in government hospitals.
Karur officials said the covers were ordered during the previous DMK regime and instructed staff to stop issuing them after the controversy.
Coimbatore officials said the covers had been supplied by the Chinthamani Cooperative Society and switched to Tamil-and-English-only covers.
Health Minister K.G. Aruraj blamed earlier procurement decisions, saying the covers were already in stock and were withdrawn once the issue came to the government’s attention.
- Who
- The DMK, the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, hospital officials and Health Minister K.G. Aruraj.
- What
- Medicine covers with instructions in Tamil, English and Hindi prompted a political dispute; hospitals stopped using them.
- When
- The controversy surfaced Tuesday evening, and the minister responded Wednesday; the article does not specify calendar dates.
- Where
- Government medical college hospitals in Karur and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- The use of Hindi on medicine covers drew objections amid Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy and opposition to Hindi imposition.
DMK criticism
TVK government response
Hindi on hospital medicine covers
DMK criticism
T.R.B. Rajaa questioned the use of Hindi in government hospitals and alleged that a three-language policy was being implemented.
TVK government response
K.G. Aruraj said the administration had used covers already in stock without changing their design or language, and that they were withdrawn after the issue came to the government’s attention.
Responsibility for procurement and use
DMK criticism
The DMK raised the issue as a concern about the use of Hindi under Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy.
TVK government response
The minister said Karur’s covers were ordered during the previous DMK regime and that Coimbatore’s covers had been approved and used during that regime as well. Karur’s dean said its order was placed on December 24, 2025; the minister cited an emergency order on December 31, 2025.
- Languages on disputed covers
- Tamil, English and Hindi
- Hospitals named
- Government medical college hospitals in Karur and Coimbatore
- DMK figure who raised the issue
- T.R.B. Rajaa, former Industries Minister
- Health minister
- K.G. Aruraj
- Karur order date cited by the dean
- December 24, 2025
- Emergency order cited by the minister
- Four lakh covers, ordered on December 31, 2025
- Hospital response
- Karur stopped issuing the Hindi-printed covers; Coimbatore switched to covers in Tamil and English.