Avoid Hindi oriented events in non-Hindi speaking states; CM Stalin tells PM Modi

CHENNAI: Hours before the omission of 'Dravidam' during a rendering of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at an event attended by Governor R N Ravi sparked a political outrage in the state, the Chief Minister asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avoid holding Hindi oriented events in non-Hindi speaking states.

Drawing the PM's attention to the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan combining it with the culmination Hindi Month Celebrations on Friday, Chief Minister M K Stalin said, "The Constitution of India does not accord national language status to any language. Hindi and English are used only for official purposes such as legislation, judiciary and communication between the Union and State Governments."

"In a multilingual country like India, according special place to Hindi and celebrating Hindi Month in non-Hindi speaking states is seen as an attempt to belittle other languages. Therefore, I suggest that holding such Hindi language oriented events in non-hindi speaking States could be avoided or if the Union Government still desires to hold such events, I suggest that celebration of the local language month in respective states must also be done with equal warmth, " the CM proposed, in his letter to the PM.

The CM also suggested that cordial relationships among all could be enhanced by holding special events to celebrate the richness of all the Classical languages recognized by the union government in the respective States.