The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday took a jibe at DMK leader MK Stalin for accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi on citizens. BJP leader S Prakash said that Stalin is subtly playing an ‘anti-Hindi’ game in Tamil Nadu politics to be relevant. He added that he is trying to come back in Tamil Nadu politics through these emotive moves which may potentially spark an outrage.
“He is cleverly playing an anti-Hindi game in Tamil Nadu politics to be relevant and to gain the confidence of people which is very unfortunate. Secondly, Parliamentary Committee recommends several measures on various issues. It need not be mandatorily accepted by the Government of India or the authorities which have to implement those measures. Their recommendations are based on their discussions in the Parliamentary Committee,” Prakash said.
Clarifying that the committee was formed not while BJP was in power, he said that one should not link the committee’s proceedings with the Modi Government.
“The government has already clarified there is no question of imposing Hindi on non-Hindi states. They have only advised if they know Hindi it is good. Beyond that, the Central Government has no intention to impose Hindi on the non-Hindi speaking people. These controversies are raised unnecessarily to divert their failures and to attack the Modi Government needlessly,” he said.
In response to making Hindi mandatory in South India, on the Monday Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the recommendation made by the Committee of Parliament on Official Language advising union ministers and the President to give speeches in Hindi is only recommendatory and not mandatory.
“I was pained to read in a section of the press today news reports wherein DMK leader M.K. Stalin has been quoted alleging imposition of Hindi by the Central Government,” Naidu said.
“The suggestion of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language was only recommendatory and not mandatory. It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an Ordinance was passed in this regard,” he added.
Naidu further said the recommendation was made under the erstwhile UPA rule where the DMK was part of the government.
“I would like to clarify that the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language headed by the then home minister P. Chidambaram made a recommendation and the same was forwarded to President on June 2, 2011,” he said.
