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Elangovan's remarks

Union Minister E.V.K.S. Elangovan's tirade against the forces opposed to English in Tamil Nadu is justified. Politicians must desist from dictating language preferences to people.

Dan Kongara,
New Jersey

Mr. Elangovan's claim that English gives India the edge is true. Congratulations to him on having made this bold statement although it is likely to upset the PMK and its allies.

K. Venkataraman,
Chennai

India has emerged as a global player in information technology and is one of the leading BPO destinations. It owes its success in these fields to the English language.

R. Murugesan,
Vellore, T.N.

All right-thinking people will agree with Mr. Elangovan. It is true that importance should be given to the mother tongue, but that does not mean English should be done away with in daily usage.

No other Indian language can take the place of English in international communication.

R. Ponnarassi,
Vellore, T.N.

True, English is important. The very sight of parents crowding English medium schools to seek admission for their children speaks volumes of its importance. But English is only a means that serves a limited purpose. Unfortunately, many of us have become a slave of this foreign language.

PMK leader S. Ramadoss' efforts to create awareness of the existence of alternative words for frequently used English words is praiseworthy.

As for Mr. Elangovan's question whether people will start drinking more coffee if a Tamil equivalent for the word is used, it is not as if Englishmen will patronise a coffee shop in Tamil Nadu just because it has a signboard in English.

G.E.B. Siluvaimani,
Chennai

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