Amidst raging controversy over the anti-English statement of BJP chief Rajnath Singh, Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy on Saturday defended Singh and blamed the media for misquoting him.
Talking to press persons at a private institution here, he said the media has misquoted his remarks and what the BJP chief meant was not actually conveyed to the country. “I don’t think that the statement was reported correctly by the media. What he meant was other languages were being taught in educational institutions at the cost of Sanskrit. It was the language of our tradition and everyone should conserve it. Efforts should be made to teach Sanskrit at educational institutions. There was no question of banning English,” he explained.
Rajnath Singh’s statement that the anglicisation of youngsters was dangerous to the culture of the country and the onslaught of English has eroded the value of Sanskrit. His defence comes in the wake of serious discussions over the possibility of Janata Party merging with the BJP before the next general elections.
To a query over the possibility of his party merging with the BJP, he refused to give a clear reply. “Let them talk to us. Merger is only possible when both parties give their consent,” he said.
On the murder of leaders of Hindu outfits in the State in the recent past, he said the Chief Minister should appoint a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate these cases.
“There is a criminal conspiracy behind the murder of various Hindu outfit leaders. The government should depute a SIT to find out the truth,” he said.
Two members of Hindu Munnani and the state general Secretary of BJP was hacked to death in the last 19 days.
Suggesting that the site of Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project should be declared a national monument, he said that the project was dead now.