Why This Udhayanidhi Stalin Image Is Viral ? (image: twitter.com/udhaystalin/status)
A red t-shirt with three strong words in Tamil – Hindi Theriyathu Poda which meant “Don”t know Hindi” has been in vogue since 2020. The word “poda” even carries slant of disrespect, telling someone to “go away”. The phrase began as a strong and evocative message against ruling government”s “Hindi imposition” in Tamil Nadu. At first, as a new hashtag “#HindiTheriyadhuPoda” began trending on X during that time and thereafter it resurfaced time to time when topics concerning Hindi enforcing arise.
Recently, photograph of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Tamil Nadu sports and youth welfare minister Udhayanidhi Stalin wearing the t-shirt went viral on social media. On January 21, the BJP, on their official X platform, posted an image of Udhayanidhi Stalin sharing his opinion on Ram Temple and wrote the caption in Hindi, attacking the DMK leader. In response to this, Udhayanidhi Stalin posted a photograph of him in the t-shirt “Hindi Theriyathu Poda”.
— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) January 22, 2024
Meanwhile, BJP”s post attacking DMK leader read as: “Identify these unrighteous people! They hate Ram temple, They defame Sanatan Dharma.”
It was on January 18, Udhayanidhi Stalin expressed their party”s opinion concerning Ram Temple: “We are not against any religion, beliefs… We do not have an issue with the temple coming up there but we cannot accept that the one that was built was built by razing a mosque.”
A woman entrepreneur has sold these t-shirts which come in four designs. She sells t-shirts with slogan based on the social trend in the state. Whenever social media users from Tamil Nadu wanted to extend their opinion on matters relating to Hindi imposition, they post with #HindiTheriyathuPoda in English and Tamil.
