Will make an announcement soon: Stalin on language row

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday slammed the Centre over alleged language imposition and financial injustices and batted for resolution of the issue once and for all by way of precise initiatives and asserted that he would soon make an announcement in this regard. Stalin, replying to the discussion on the calling attention motion on the language policy in the assembly, said the Tamil Nadu government fully concurred with the legislators who spoke firmly backing the 2-language policy. “Tamil and English are the two languages of Tamil Nadu’s 2-language policy.

There is no change on that,” the CM asserted and added that there shall be no compromises, come what may. Stalin also recalled his recent statement that “if the Centre tied the fund release to learning Hindi, then we do not need that money itself; we will protect the Tamil language. Why Rs 2,000 crore? even if the Centre gives Rs 10,000 crore, we will not accept the 3-language policy and I had made this clear already.” The chief minister said, “I repeat; this is not an issue related to money/funds; this is a problem faced by our race (ethnicity / problem faced by the Tamil people)! This is an issue related to protecting our youths, students, the Tamil race and the Tamil language.” Recalling that the 2-language policy resolution was passed in the House on January 23, 1968 when CN Annadurai was the Chief Minister, he said the policy was Anna’s gift. “We are not against any language. We say that these two languages are enough,” he said and added that the government did not pose hindrance to anyone desirous of learning any language.

“At the same time, we do not allow any hegemonic language that intends to destroy Tamil and that is why we follow the 2-language policy,” Stalin said. Several states, including Tamil Nadu’s neighbouring states, now realise that Tamil Nadu’s language policy and the comittment to follow that are correct. “The imposition of Hindi language is not just imposition of a language; it will be destruction of culture and that is why we are firm. Through the language imposition, they are trying to dominate states, languages of states and a race. A full stop should be put to this issue as a whole. They are doing such language imposition and financial injustices as they consider states as their regions of bonded slaves,” the CM alleged.

“Hence, in order to safeguard India’s federalism and to win state autonomy, we are in a compulsion to put into action precise initiatives.” Asserting that

Tamil language could be protected and Tamil people could be developed only if state autonomy is ensured and state’s rights established, Stalin said he would soon make an announcement in this regard. The chief minister, referring to AIADMK deputy floor leader R B Udhayakumar seeking a clarification, asserted that the state has made it clear to the Centre that it is committed to the 2-language policy.

The CM said leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami has gone to Delhi and during his visit, he must take up the language policy issue. Earlier, initiating the discussion on the issue, DMK legislator N Ezhilan said the Official Languages Rules 1976, made (Section 1 / ii dealing with application) made it clear that the state of Tamil Nadu was exempt from the application of the rules, endorsing the 2-language policy of Tamil Nadu. The Union government, which has been naming its laws and schemes in Hindi, performed ‘Rudra Thandavam,’ when a single Tamil letter ‘roo’ was used during Budget.