Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has opposed Sanskrit Week celebrations in schools that fall under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board which is to take place next month.
Jayalalitha also wrote a letter to Prime Minster Narendra Modi stating any official celebration of Sanskrit week in Tamil Nadu is highly inappropriate.
"Tamil Nadu has a rich cultural heritage based on the ancient Tamil language. There has also been a strong social justice and language movement in the state. Hence, any official celebration of Sanskrit week in Tamil Nadu is highly inappropriate," Jayalalithaa said in the letter to Modi.
The CBSE has released a circular directing all schools to celebrate Sanskrit week in August by organising a range of Sanskrit based-programmes.
Many Dravidian parties in the state have demanded its withdrawal as for them Sanskrit is a Brahminical language and any form of its imposition is unacceptable.