CHENNAI: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin warned the union government that TN may have to wage another ‘mozhi por’ (language war) if the centre is adamant in thrusting three-language policy on the state. “Thousands of us are ready to die to stop Hindi imposition,” he said.
Speaking at the all-party protest organised by the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Chennai on Tuesday against the union government, the DMK youth wing secretary said the centre cannot do anything by force in Tamil Nadu. “By imposing Hindi, they are trying to spoil Tamil Nadu’s rich history and culture and reduce Tamils to second-class citizens,” he said.
Udhayanidhi said, “Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the TN government was rejecting the National Education Policy (NEP) for politics. Let him know, politics comes second for us. Language comes first.”
“All the struggles that happened in Tamil Nadu over the past 100 years can be grouped under two causes — for education and for language.
Now, both are under threat because of NEP,” the deputy CM added.
Udhaya invites AIADMK to fight Hindi imposition
Two persons died in 1938 Tamil language war, hundreds sacrificed their lives in the 1965 language war. If needed, thousands of us are ready to die in 2025 to stop Hindi imposition,” Udhayanidhi said. He also extended an invitation to DMK’s arch rival AIADMK to set aside politics and join hands in the fight.
Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani, who spoke at the event, said, “C Rajagopalachari, who imposed Hindi in 1938, had to retract, and later in 1965 had to say, ‘Hindi Never, English Ever’. The BJP leaders may not be aware of this history of TN. This will repeat.”
TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai said, “Former PM Jawaharlal Nehru assured that Hindi would not be imposed and his successors in Congress followed that. The BJP is provoking us unnecessarily. TN is 50 years ahead of others with its two-language policy. Tamils will reject BJP and its covert allies.”
Recollecting the memories of 1965 language struggle when armed forces opened fire on student protesters and many sacrificed their lives, MDMK leader Vaiko said, “The whole TN is up on its feet. The union government should know that today’s youngsters will follow in the footsteps of the language martyrs to save Tamil.”
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said, “Many languages in northern states have vanished due to Hindi. If we allow three-language policy, Hindi will displace Tamil over the years and then ultimately Sanskrit will be thrust upon us.”
CPM state secretary P Shanmugam urged the DMK president MK Stalin to announce a state-wide strike to show Tamils unity to the union government.
Attacking BJP state president, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan said, “Annamalai said two-language policy has become obsolete. That’s not true. It is the BJP that has become obsolete in TN.” Earlier, state education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi discredited ASER report and called it as BJP’s agenda. “Don’t cite that report to support the three-language policy. TN is doing well in education. State’s education fund of Rs 2,152 crore should be released by the Centre immediately,” he said.
Release funds within time frame: CM to centre | P6