The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Ask Anbumani to speak in Tamil, Jayalalithaa tells PMK

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Ask Anbumani to speak in Tamil, Jayalalithaa tells PMK

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, APRIL 12. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, put the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) MLAs on the defensive on the language issue, daring them to tell the Union Health Minister, R. Anbumani Ramadoss, to give up the western style of wearing pants, before the party preached its ideas on Tamil language and culture.

Intervening in the Assembly debate on the Appropriation Bill, Ms. Jayalalithaa referred to the PMK leader, G.K. Mani's demand that the State Government give priority to making Tamil the medium of instruction, and said the party and founder had been projecting themselves as saviours of Tamil people and their language. They even launched a yatra under the banner of "Tamil Protection Movement."

But the PMK founder's son, who was going to lead the party in the future, dressed like a westerner and spoke in English. "First, go and tell your Chinnayya [Dr. Anbumani] to turn to dhoti and speak in Tamil."

The Chief Minister said, the Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, despite having studied in Harvard University, wore dhoti.

But Dr. Anbumani, even while attending functions in the State, was dressed in pants. And he addressed meetings in English, Ms. Jayalalithaa said.

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