THOOTHUKUDI: At the backdrop of the severe backlash over use of Hindi in signage board on Alwarthirunagari-Valliyoor SH93 road via Sathankulam, the Hindi names were erased overnight and two officials of the Tamil Nadu's National Highways wing were placed under suspension on Friday.
Former Chief Minister MK Stalin strongly condemned the TVK government, not to play with the state's unique twin language policy.
According to officials, the National Highways wing attached to the State Highways Department, had revamped the Alwarthirunagari-Valliyoor SH93 road via Sathankulam under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF). After completion of the road, the NH wing had erected a signage board at Valliammalpuram in the outskirts of Sathankulam bearing names in Tamil, Hindi and English. The use of Hindi names on the board raked up a debate in the social media.
Strongly condemning the use of Hindi, Former CM MK Stalin posted that the Tamil Nadu government, which has been confronting Hindi imposition by the union government, is now doing the same. "The Tamil Nadu government under TVK is checking the pulse of the people and reverting it when opposition flares up", he said. Stating that the two language policy is the eternal policy of Tamil Nadu, Stalin warned the TVK government not to play with the language policy.
Following this, the state highways department had erased the Hindi words during intervening hours of Thursday and Friday.
A senior State Highways official told TNIE that the Assistant Director Boominathan and Assistant Engineer Muthu Lakshmi of the project had failed to notify the usage of Hindi words to the higher officials.