Chennai: Sharpening his attack against the BJP-led Government at the Centre for attempting to impose Hindi by cocering Tamil Nadu to accept NEP-2020 that eulogised the three-language policy, Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Thursday said Hindi has swallowed many Indian languages and many more are gasping for survival.
Stating that the push for a monolithic Hindi identity kills ancient mother tongues, he said Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were never just "Hindi heartlands."
Their real languages are now relics of the past, he said, adding, Tamil woke up and the tradition of Tamil's race has survived.
He said Hindi has swallowed Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Mundari and many more are now gasping for survival.
Mr Stalin some languages which gave space for Hindi did not exist now.
Posting a short letter on X address to brethren of other states, the Chief Minister said "My dear sisters and brothers from other states, Ever wondered how many Indian languages Hindi has swallowed? Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, Braj, Bundeli, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Magahi, Marwari, Malvi, Chhattisgarhi, Santhali, Angika, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Mundari and many more are now gasping for survival."
"The push for a monolithic Hindi identity is what kills ancient mother tongues", he said.
"UP and Bihar were never just "Hindi heartlands." Their real languages are now relics of the past", he added.
"Tamil Nadu resists because we know where this ends. Tamil woke up and Tamil's race survived...some languages gave place for Hindi, but not exist now", Mr Stalin wrote, with a hashtag "Long live Tamil #LetterToBrethren #StopHindiImposition #SaveIndianLanguages".
The alleged attempt by the Centre to impose Hindi in Tamil Nadu created a major political storm especially after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had openly declared that Tamil Nadu will not get its due share of Rs 2,152 crore funds for the education sector under the SSA scheme, unless it accepts the NEP-2020 paving the way for implementing the 3-language formula in the State.
In rare display of unity, all the political parties, including the ruling DMK, its allies, the main Opposition and its allies and the PMK, spoke in one voice slamming the centre and strongly condemning it for trying to impose Hindi and said the long followed and the existing two-language formula would continue in the State and that the 3-language policy will never be allowed.
The political parties also staged various forms of agitations condemning the Centre's move, including the DMK Women's Wing resorting to a novel protest drawing colourful Kolams (Rangoli) in various hues and sizes with slogans flaying the Centre for attempting to impose Hindi and 3-language policy in Tamil Nadu.
A massive protest demonstration was organised by the DMK in Chennai in which leaders of all its alliance partners took part and shouted slogans denouncing the Centre on the issue.
Various wings of the DMK, including the Students, Youth and Advocates Wing, staged protest demonstrations, and the party cadres also blackend hindi words in name boards in Railway stations and other places in various parts of the State as part of the agitations, which was justified by Chief Minister and Party President M K Stalin.
Mr Stalin had declared that as long as he was the Chief Minister the 3-language policy will not be allowed in Tamil Nadu and that the State was prepared for another language war which the Centre was trying to impose.
He also asserted that "whether it is Rs 2,000 crore of Rs 10,000 crore, we will not sign the NEP".
"Even if we are offered Rs.10,000 crore, the government will not introduce NEP as long as I am the Chief Minister,” he had said.
However, the BJP Tamil Nadu Unit contended that there were no provisions in NEP that referred imposition of Hindi and batted for three-language policy, saying it does not mean Hindi. Students can learn any language of their choice, the same views which were also expressed by the Union Education Minister.
