The anti-Hindi agitation in Tamil Nadu received a major boost on Wednesday with film actor Rajinikanth, who is expected to launch a political party soon, declaring that the move to ‘impose’ Hindi would not work in the State.
Amidst reports that all political parties barring the BJP would launch State-wide agitations against the statement made by union home minister Amit Shah on Hindi Diwas that Hindi was the only language which could unite India, Rajinikanth who is considered close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that though it was good to have a common language for the development and unity of the country, the same may not work in Tamil Nadu. “If Hindi is imposed, none of the southern States would accept it,” said the actor.
In another development, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee decided to ‘greet’ Home Minister Amit Shah with black flags as a mark of protest against the latter’s statement that Hindi was the only language which could unite India. The Home Minister would be the second person after Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be shown black flags by the DMK and other Tamil fringe elements.
The executive committee of the TNCC which met at Chennai on Tuesday decided to ‘greet’ the Home Minister with black flags when he visits the State. This was stated by K S Alagiri, the TNCC chief who is a loyalist of former union finance minister and Congress strongman P Chidambaram.
“Amit Shah’s statement is against the legal guarantee and protection provided by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to languages other than Hindi,” said Alagiri while speaking to reporters after the meeting. On Wednesday, the Congress cadre staged marches all over the State to condemn the home minister’s statement. But a speech delivered by Chidambaram on the occasion of Hindi Diwas while he was the union home minister has comeas an embarrassment to the Congress. Chidambaram is heard telling in the speech that only Hindi could be the national and official language of the country.
“These are all part of politics and one need not give any importance to such statements and agitations. In another couple of days, this issue would be forgotten by the people as well as the same leaders,” said a senior TNCC leader when asked about the statement by Chidambaram which has gone viral in the social media.
