Chennai, Feb 27 (IANS ) Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday lashed out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, saying that poor governance will never be hidden by shallow attempts to divide society.
In a post on the social media platform, ‘X’, Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “Poor governance will never be hidden by shallow attempts to divide society. It will be interesting to know what the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has to say on this subject. Does he as MP of a Hindi-speaking seat agree?”
The senior BJP leader was responding to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister‘s statement that how many Indian languages Hindi has swallowed.
Stalin said that Hindi had swallowed, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Mundeli, Garwhali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Mandari and many more Indian languages.
In a letter to party cadres on Thursday, Stalin argued that several North Indian languages, such as Maithili, Brajbhasha, Bundeli, and Awadhi – spoken in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh – have been suppressed by what he called the “hegemonic expansion” of Hindi.
He claimed that more than 25 indigenous languages in North India have been lost due to the dominance of Hindi and Sanskrit.
Stalin credited the century-old Dravidian movement for safeguarding Tamil language and culture through continuous awareness campaigns and protests.
He reiterated Tamil Nadu’s strong opposition to the NEP, accusing the Centre of promoting Hindi and Sanskrit under the guise of educational reforms.
Countering the BJP’s argument that the third language under NEP could be a foreign one, Stalin asserted that, in practice, only Sanskrit is being promoted in many states.
He cited the example of BJP-ruled Rajasthan, where he said Sanskrit teachers are being appointed while Urdu instructors are being neglected.
He warned that if Tamil Nadu were to adopt the trilingual policy, Tamil could eventually be sidelined, leading to increased Sanskritisation.
He pointed out that under NEP guidelines, while Sanskrit is being given prominence in schools, other Indian languages, including Tamil, are relegated to online learning.
“This clearly shows that the Centre is planning to sideline languages like Tamil and impose Sanskrit,” Stalin wrote.
Stalin reminded party members that Tamil Nadu’s two-language policy – Tamil and English – was first mandated by former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai decades ago. Annadurai had strongly opposed the imposition of Hindi and the perceived influence of Aryan culture on Tamil identity.
Stalin emphasised that the state has a long history of resisting Hindi imposition. He cited the anti-Hindi protests of 1937–39, during which leaders like Periyar (E.V. Ramasamy) and Justice Party members actively opposed efforts to make Hindi compulsory in schools under the then C. Rajagopalachari-led government.
He also questioned the BJP’s criticism of blackened Hindi signboards at railway stations in Tamil Nadu.
He asked whether railway stations in Uttar Pradesh display Tamil or other South Indian languages for the benefit of passengers traveling from the South, particularly for events like the Kumbh Mela or Kashi Sangamam.
He further inquired whether railway station announcements in Uttar Pradesh were made in other Indian languages. Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu’s steadfast adherence to its two-language policy has contributed significantly to the state’s advancements in education, skill development, and employment opportunities.
He accused the BJP-led Central government of betraying Tamil Nadu and vowed to take all necessary measures to protect the Tamil language.
“We won’t oppose if you don’t impose. We won’t blacken Hindi words in Tamil Nadu. Self-respect is the hallmark of Tamils, and we will not allow anyone, no matter who they are, to undermine it,” he declared.
–IANS
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