The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Move to give up English will make way for Hindi: Vaiko

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 30, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Move to give up English will make way for Hindi: Vaiko

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENGALPATTU, OCT. 29. Any move to give up English will only make way for Hindi, says the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary, Vaiko.

Rejecting the call given by a section of people from Tamil Nadu to give up learning of English , the MDMK leader said this would only put an end to the `two language formula' propounded by former Chief Ministers, C.N. Annadurai and Kamaraj, in the interest of Tamil language.

Talking to reporters here today, after appearing in a sessions court in connection with a defamation case filed by the Tiruvallur town police, Mr. Vaiko said Kamaraj and Anna adopted the two-language formula - Tamil and English - with the sole aim of checking imposition of Hindi on Tamils.

Kamaraj had categorically stated that closing the doors for English would only help in Hindi becoming a `language for communication' with the rest of India and the World. When the Dravidian parties opposed `imposition of Hindi,' everyone feared that it would hamper the prospects of Tamils getting postings in Central Government offices.

But the two-language formula had helped in Tamil Nadu acquiring a top place in the computer software export industry, a position that remained a distant dream for Bihar or Uttar Pradesh.

Expressing unhappiness over the re-introduction of Hindi on milestones on National Highways in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Vaiko said he raised the in Parliament during the National Democratic Alliance rule through one of his party MPs (since he was detained under the POTA and lodged in Vellore prison during that time) and got the Hindi words removed from the milestones. "The party will not allow any move to impose Hindi on Tamils in any manner."

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