COIMBATORE: People of Tamil Nadu will not accept any attempt by the Union government to impose one language as the national language, DMK deputy general secretary and Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said on Wednesday. She said this on the sidelines of a youth leadership summit organised at the Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology.
Commenting on the recommendations made by a parliamentary committee that Hindi should be made the medium of instruction in professional courses in higher education institutions, Kanimozhi said all languages are equally placed under the eighth schedule of the Constitution.
“Every person has an identity, which is mother tongue. No one has the right to force anyone to speak other languages. Attempts to make an official language as the national language are unacceptable and Tamil Nadu people will not accept other languages,” she told reporters.
Earlier, speaking at the programme, she said, “Tamil Nadu is a role model in India in implementing welfare schemes such as the noon-meal, free breakfast, etc. The Centre is following the Tamil Nadu schemes and other states are asking for ideas to implement this scheme from TN government. Further, in a first in the country, former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi implemented a policy exclusively for Information and Technology sector.”
“Thanthai Periyar, Arignar Anna and Karunanidhi understood the mindset of the people of TN. Despite the various crises faced by the nation, TN is a progressive State which thinks of scientific development for future generations due to the efforts of these three people,” she said. Further, she encourgaed students to develop leadership and communication skills as “these are important in the technology world”.
CEO of ICT academy Hari Balachandar, Pollachi MP K Shanmugasundaran, head of government affairs (states) K Purushothaman and trustee of Sri Krishna Institutions K Adithya were among those present.
Stir scheduled for Sat
The DMK has scheduled for Saturday a stir against Amit Shah-led parliamentary panel’s recommendation to make Hindi a compulsory medium of instruction in all technical and non-technical institutions