“Tamil-Speaking People Are Proud”: P Chidambaram On Hindi Diwas

New Delhi:

Congress chief P Chidambaram tweeted on the event of Hindi Diwas in the present day and stated he “rejoice(d) with Hindi-speaking folks” celebrating the language. He additionally included a point out of Tamil, which he referred to as “one of many oldest languages of India”.

“The Tamil-speaking individuals are legitimately proud” of their language, the Rajya Sabha MP who’s a local of Tamil Nadu stated within the first of two tweets.

Every of Mr Chidambaram’s tweets had been posted thrice – in Tamil, English and Hindi – in a delicate swipe at central insurance policies seen by many within the south as trying to impose Hindi over regional languages.

“We rejoice with the Hindi-speaking people who find themselves celebrating Hindi Diwas in the present day. The Tamil-speaking individuals are legitimately proud that the Tamil language is among the many oldest languages of India,” he stated in his first tweet.

We additionally rejoice that the archaeological excavations being accomplished in Keeladi and close by areas have delivered to the information of the world the roots of a 2600 yr outdated Tamil civilisation

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 14, 2020

Mr Chidambaram’s second tweet identified that archaeological excavations within the Keeladi area of the state had unearthed proof of a 2,600-year-old Tamil civilisation.

The tweets come amid a simmering row between centre and state over the perceived imposition of Hindi – a row that exploded in June final yr after the centre launched a draft of the Nationwide Schooling Coverage.

Southern states, led by Tamil Nadu, lashed out, significantly after Union House Minister Amit Shah, on Hindi Diwas final yr, stated that since Hindi was “essentially the most widely-spoken and understood language” in India, it was the one one that might unite the nation.

DMK chief MK Stalin declared “this is India, not Hindia” and warned the centre of a “language warfare”.

Final month DMK MP Kanimozhi reignited that fireside; she stated a CISF officer at Chennai airport had requested “if ‘I’m an Indian’ after I requested her to talk to me in Tamil or English as I didn’t know Hindi”.

Mr Chidambaram stated he had skilled related taunts and tweeted: “If the centre is genuinely committed to both Hindi and English being official languages of India, it should insist that every one central authorities workers are bilingual in Hindi and English,” the 74-year-old former Union Minister wrote.

If the Central authorities is genuinely dedicated to each Hindi and English being the official languages of India, it should insist that every one central authorities workers are bilingual in Hindi and English.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 10, 2020

In September final yr Mr Chidambaram, who was at the moment lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in reference to the INX Media case, stated that if the Tamil people spoke in one voice, their language and tradition can be acknowledged.

Ms Kanimozhi’s tweet in August additionally returned the highlight to the schooling coverage. The ultimate model – National Education Policy (NEP 2020) launched in July – stated that both one of many mom tongue or the native/regional language can be the medium of instruction as much as Class 5 in all colleges.

Tamil Nadu has long opposed any moves to give Hindi more prominence than different Indian languages. The area noticed anti-Hindi protests between 1937 and 1940. In 1965, the difficulty flared up as soon as once more and round 70 folks died within the violence that adopted.