Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 19 : Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Saturday urged Central government to give importance to local language (Tamil) as well after the war of words erupts between Tamil Nadu CM Stalin and Governor Ravi.
"The Tamil Nadu government has long demanded that local languages be recognized alongside Hindi. They are against imposing Hindi alone, as Tamil is the primary language in Tamil Nadu, Telangana the Telangana, and Karnataka has their language. Stalin's view is that while Hindi can be promoted, local languages should also be given equal importance, the governor is pointing individual issue.... But in my point of view Hindi everybody can take, but at same time local language should also be given importance, that is the version of Stalin...See Tamil Nadu's long rooted history of opposing Hindi imposition, with a significant movement against it was there.." he said.
Congress leader further added "So, let the central government think over, But local language also should be considered."
The face-off began after MK Stalin on Friday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising that the Indian Constitution does not grant national language status to any language, and Hindi and English are only for official purposes.
He suggested avoiding Hindi language programs in non-Hindi-speaking states. He also condemned the celebration of Hindi Month valedictory function along with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan.
In response Governor RN Ravi emphasised that Hindi should not be viewed as an imposition but as a language to be celebrated alongside other languages.
On Friday night Stalin hit back at Governor TN Ravi on social media, after the governor accused the Chief Minister of disrespecting the 'Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu'. MK Stalin said that Tamil language is the race and lifeblood of Dravidians, and said that if racism is the mother tongue of this land, then it is his pride.
Earlier, Taking to social media platform X, Ravi on Friday said that he was constrained to respond over Stalin's remarks and "false imputations" against him, further stating that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's remarks had disrespected the "Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu."
The governor further mentioned that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government has made significant strides in promoting the Tamil language, both within India and internationally.