In the ongoing debate over the Hindi language in the country, Tamil Nadu’s higher education minister K Ponmudy took a jab at the Hindi language and Hindi speakers. The statement was made at the Convocation ceremony at Bharathiar University.
The Minister stated “Someone said one would get jobs if you learn Hindi. Are you getting jobs? Go and see in our city Coimbatore, they (People from the northern part of India) sell Pani puri. They run Pani puri shops,” at a university convocation.
“Now, English is an international language. In Tamil Nadu, we should have our own system. In Tamil Nadu, Tamil is a local language and we have English as the international language. Because of unity in diversity, various cultures and languages are there. In Tamil Nadu, we should follow our own educational system. We also follow certain new good policies in the New Education Policy. And we are ready to follow it,” he added.
“In Tamil Nadu, there are two languages – English and Tamil. While English is an international language, Tamil is a local language.”
On May 9, the opposition DMK in Puducherry on Monday staged a protest against the alleged imposition of Hindi in the centrally-administered JIPMER, prompting Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to hold discussions with officials, before insisting there was no such imposition and that the regional language Tamil was being accorded due priority.
On May 11, India contributed over Rs 6 crore to the UN aimed at promoting and enhancing the public outreach of Hindi in the world body.
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