Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay on Tuesday strongly defended the state’s two-language policy and reiterated his opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), arguing that the medical entrance examination creates inequality among students.
Speaking in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Vijay also responded to critics who have questioned his political credentials and the long-term viability of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government. The Chief Minister said his party did not come to power easily and had overcome several challenges to earn the trust of the people .
Responding to those who describe TVK as merely an actor’s party, Vijay said such criticism does not concern him and insisted that the party’s rise was the result of hard work and public support. He said TVK secured a significant share of votes despite facing obstacles and would continue working for the people of Tamil Nadu.
Vijay used his Assembly address to once again call for the scrapping of NEET, claiming the examination system creates inequality among students.
Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the centralised medical entrance examination and has argued that admissions should be based on Class 12 academic performance.
The Chief Minister also referred to controversies surrounding NEET, including concerns over student stress and allegations related to examination irregularities.
On the issue of language policy, Vijay said Tamil Nadu would continue to follow its long-standing two-language formula of Tamil and English. He maintained that Tamil serves as the state’s identity while English remains important as a global language.
His remarks come amid continuing debates over the promotion of Hindi and concerns about its perceived imposition on non-Hindi-speaking states.
Vijay also spoke about the Karur stampede tragedy, expressing grief over the loss of 41 lives. He said the incident continued to cause him pain and criticised attempts to place responsibility for the tragedy on his party.
The Chief Minister’s comments were seen as a response to criticism from political opponents who had questioned crowd management arrangements at the event.
During his speech, Vijay referenced former Tamil Nadu chief ministers CN Annadurai and MG Ramachandran, saying their governments worked for ordinary people. He asserted that his administration would also prioritise the welfare of common citizens and said his government’s focus was on every family in Tamil Nadu rather than any single political family.
The speech marked one of Vijay’s strongest political statements since assuming office, combining governance priorities with a defence of his party’s electoral success and ideological positions.