CHENNAI: Strongly opposing the inclusion of 55 characters in Tamil Unicode, PMK leader S Ramadoss on Friday said the move following the recommendation of a Sanskrit scholar was aimed at distorting Tamil inscriptions and history.
In his view those who had no association with Tamil were trying to spoil the Tamil unicode under the guise of improving it. The same group comprising a Sanskrit scholar Siriramana Sharma and few private companies had earlier tried to introduce five Granth alphabets into Tamil unicode. But, it was withdrawn after stiff opposition from Tamil scholars and the intervention of the Tamil Nadu government, he recalled. The same group, the PMK leader alleged was again trying to add 55 characters which were fractions, commercial symbols and quantity symbols in a wrong manner. A recommendation has been sent to Unicode consortium, Ramadoss said. Such recommendations, according to him could be accepted if they were made by experts in Tamil archaeology and history. But, those who had given the recommendations had no links with Tamil, he said and accused Siriramana Sharma of trying to distort Tamil unicode through his influence with the consortium.
When the recommendations were forwarded to the Tamil Virtual University, a committee would be formed to study the recommendations, Ramadoss noted. But, Siriramana Sharma himself was made a member of the committee, which approved them. Charging Siriramana Sharma and the Tamil Virtual University with irregularities in approving the recommendations, Ramadoss apprehended that their acceptance would lead to distortions in studying the Tamil inscriptions after they were digitalised.
The wrong recommendations should be withdrawn and Tamil Nadu government should prevent the attempts by foreign countries to cause confusion in formation of Tamil unicode. The government should formulate guidelines for addition of characters in Tamil unicode, Ramadoss demanded.