Chennai: The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharama, clarified that Hindi is not being imposed on Tamilians or on any non-Hindi speakers and said that the allegations of Hindi being forced is incorrect. Her statements come at a time when regional parties are trying to create fear and confusion on the sensitive issue of language.
Nirmala Sitharaman while speaking to reporters in Chennai said, “The allegations of Hindi imposition is definitely not correct. The central government is not forcing Hindi language on anybody.”
The Minister said that instead of imposing Hindi on Tamilians, the central government is actually encouraging and propagating the Tamil language.
She said, “On the contrary, under Shreshtha Bharat Scheme, the government is only propagating the Tamil Language. Whatever has happened recently, it has happened at an administrative level, it cannot be taken as an imposition.”
The issue of language imposition is sensitive in many regions of India. Tamil Nadu is specifically against the Hindi language and had led protests and demonstrations in the past against the teaching of Hindi language. Many political parties grew out of these protests spreading the fear of Hindi.
Recently, the Parliament saw a verbal duel between DMK member Kalanidhi Veeraswamy and Rajiv Pratap Rudy of the BJP. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy accused the government for imposing Hindi on Tamil Nadu.
However, Rudy asked the MP not to make needless allegations. He also stressed that Hindi is a national language.
The issue of Hindi being imposed on Tamil Nadu were actively taken up by regional parties and forces inimical to the unity of the country. They saw in this sensitive issue a weapon to spread hatred and divisions in the country.
