Make Tamil official language, grant Indian citizenship to Lankan Tamil refugees : Governor

Chennai:The Tamil Nadu government today urged the Centre to declare Tamil as one of the official languages, besides granting Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

Delivering his customary address to the newly constituted16th Legislative Assembly, Governor Banwarilal Purohit said to honour the glory of Tamil language, the DMK Government will continue to urge the Union Government to declare Tamil, as one of the official languages of India.

The State Government will also urge that in all Union Government offices including nationalized banks situated in Tamil Nadu, Tamil must be declared and used as the co-official language, he said.

"To enable this, if necessary Article 343 of the Constitution should be suitably amended", Mr Purohit said.The Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai shall be revitalized and we will impress upon the Union Government to preserve its autonomy and not affiliate the Institute to any other university.

While urging the Union Government to advise the Sri Lankan Government to ensure that Eelam Tamils have equal civil and political rights, Mr Purohit also urged the Union Government to make necessary laws and amendments to grant Indian citizenship to Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka.(UNI)