In a fiery speech at a rally in Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai, exposed damning evidence of Hindi imposition by the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and Congress alliance in 2011.
திமுக மற்றும் காங்கிரஸ் 2011ஆம் ஆண்டு செய்த ஹிந்தி திணிப்பு – சிவகங்கை பொதுக்கூட்டத்தில் ஆதாரங்களை அம்பலப்படுத்திய தலைவர் @annamalai_k pic.twitter.com/fPkMuN6snL
— Krishna Kumar Murugan (@ikkmurugan) June 15, 2023
Recalling the tumultuous period from 2004 to 2014 when the DMK and Congress ruled the state and the center respectively, Annamalai pointed out the questionable tactics employed by the alliance. One of the key figures he exposed was P. Chidambaram, the influential politician from Sivaganga district and the then Finance Minister of the country. Known for his frequent encounters with the law, Chidambaram’s involvement in the controversial Hindi imposition policy will definitely raise eyebrows.
Annamalai referred to a significant moment in 2011 during the DMK’s tenure in Tamil Nadu when Chidambaram presented a comprehensive report in Parliament. It was a pivotal occasion, witnessed by DMK MPs who held influential positions in the state. This report, comprising 117 suggestions, contained a series of directives aimed at promoting the Hindi language forcefully.
The most striking proposal was the imposition of mandatory Hindi education until the 10th standard. This move, if implemented, would have compelled students across the state to learn Hindi, regardless of their linguistic background. Another alarming recommendation was the introduction of a Hindi medium examination system for students from non-Hindi speaking states who wished to pursue higher education. This policy can be seen as a blatant attempt to undermine linguistic diversity and impose Hindi dominance.
Furthermore, the report recommended that a minimum knowledge of the Hindi language should be made compulsory in all government departments. This move was perceived as an unwarranted intrusion into the functioning of regional administrative bodies, eroding the autonomy of non-Hindi speaking states.
To exacerbate matters, Chidambaram proposed measures that emphasised the prominence of Hindi in various aspects of public life. He suggested that Hindi should be predominantly used in Air India flight tickets, diluting the cultural diversity that the airline aimed to represent. Additionally, the report called for a significant portion, 50% to be precise, of central government advertisements to be reserved exclusively for Hindi advertisements. This would have marginalized other regional languages and stifled the linguistic and cultural richness of the country.
Perhaps the most controversial suggestion in the report was the insistence that products made in India bear Hindi names.
Annamalai’s revelations have are set to reignite the debate on Hindi imposition and raise questions about the intentions and actions of the DMK and Congress alliance. While the report submitted by Chidambaram indicated a concerted effort to impose Hindi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s subsequent government has to be credited with reversing this imposition, offering a ray of hope to those who strive to preserve India’s linguistic diversity.
Annamalai said, “PM Modi is the one who removed Hindi imposition”.
It is essential to remember the hypocrisy of DMK on their stance on Hindi which went from ‘Hindi Theriyathu Poda’ To ‘Hindi Padam Paaru Da’
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