The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed Dravida Munnetra Kazhaghan (DMK) leader M.K. Stalin for accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi on citizens, saying that the latter is cleverly playing an 'anti-Hindi' game in Tamil Nadu politics to be relevant.
BJP leader S. Prakash said that Stalin is trying to come back in Tamil Nadu politics by this emotive issue, which can spark public outrage in the state.
"He is cleverly playing an anti-Hindi game in Tamil Nadu politics to be relevant and to gain the confidence of people which is very unfortunate. Secondly, Parliamentary Committee recommends several measures on various issues. It need not be mandatorily accepted by the Government of India or the authorities which have to implement those measures. There recommendations are based on their discussions in the Parliamentary Committee," Prakash told ANI.
Prakash further clarified that the committee was formed in 2011 and not when the BJP came into power so, one should not link the committee's proceedings with the Modi Government.
"The government has already clarified there is no question of imposing Hindi on non-Hindi states. They have only advised if they know Hindi it is good. Beyond that, the Central Government has no intention to impose Hindi on the non-Hindi speaking people. These controversies are raised unnecessarily to divert their failures and to attack the Modi Government needlessly," he said.
Earlier yesterday, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the recommendation made by the Committee of Parliament on Official Language advising union ministers and the President to give speeches in Hindi is only recommendatory and not mandatory.
He was reacting to Stalin's remarks alleging that the Centre is imposing Hindi on its citizens.
"I was pained to read in a section of the press today news reports wherein DMK leader M.K. Stalin has been quoted alleging imposition of Hindi by the Central Government," Naidu said.
"The suggestion of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language was only recommendatory and not mandatory. It is totally false and mischievous to allege that an Ordinance was passed in this regard," he added.
Naidu further said the recommendation was made under the erstwhile UPA rule where the DMK was part of the government.
"I would like to clarify that the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language headed by the then home minister P. Chidambaram made a recommendation and the same was forwarded to President on June 2 2011," he said.
Naidu said the present government had notified this recommendation on March 31.
Earlier on Saturday, Stalin lashed at the Narendra Modi-led central government for its ' Hindi imposition', accusing them of violating the Constitution and rights of non-Hindi speaking citizens.
In a video posted on his Twitter account, Stalin said that right from the day of assuming office, the Modi-led BJP has been attempting to destroy and decimate the unity of the nation.
H said that the recent proposal on the parliamentary committee to make it mandatory for those MPs and Central Ministers who know Hindi to the use it as their official language, both in speech and writing, is a recent example of such efforts.
"The BJP government has also obtained permission from the President for usage of Hindi in Airport announcements, press news and advertisements and going one step further have made Hindi a compulsory subject for CBSE schools across the country," he said.
Stalin added that it is very concerning that it is not an exception but rather the rule.
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