In a speech at an occasion honouring Tamil saint Ayya Vaikundar, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi Friday cautioned in opposition to what he described as a “language struggle” being waged inside the state. His speech, centered on a broader narrative of Sanatana Dharma and a resurgent Bharat, additionally introduced sharp criticism of Tamil Nadu’s long-standing two-language coverage, positioning it as a hindrance to instructional and financial alternatives for the state’s youth.
Talking to a gathering that celebrated the religious legacy of Vaikundar, Governor Ravi stated, “Bharat and Sanatana Dharma are two inseparable components. If there’s a menace to Sanatana Dharma, which means there’s a menace to Bharat”. Whereas his handle touched on the non secular and cultural ethos of India, his speech shifted to the politics of language.
His remarks come at a time when the state’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam authorities led by Chief Minister M Okay Stalin is in the midst of a tussle with the Bharatiya Janata Celebration-led Nationwide Democratic Alliance authorities on the Centre over the perceived imposition of Hindi underneath the Nationwide Schooling Coverage (NEP) 2020.
“There are forces — outdoors the nation and inside — that aren’t proud of Bharat rising,” he stated, alleging that these forces intention to divide the nation alongside racial and linguistic traces. Drawing parallels to British colonial techniques, he added: “They’re attempting to create division among the many individuals… All these are anti-Sanatan forces, however they have no idea Sanatana is everlasting.”
He asserted that “nobody is imposing any language on one other,” and challenged the dominant political narrative in Tamil Nadu, the place the Dravidian events have lengthy championed a two-language coverage that mandates Tamil and English in faculties whereas opposing the inclusion of Hindi.
“Individuals are free to decide on language in India. Sadly, in our state, individuals are not free,” Ravi stated, in a veiled critique of the state authorities led by the DMK. “We must always not create issues and provoke by spreading lies. There is no such thing as a struggle. There is no such thing as a imposition. However individuals will need to have the liberty to decide on the language they need to research.”
An announcement launched by the Raj Bhavan on Friday additionally described the state’s two-language coverage as “inflexible”. The assertion claimed that college students in Tamil Nadu felt “massively disadvantaged” of alternatives in comparison with their friends in neighbouring states.
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The Raj Bhavan publish on social media cited interactions between the Governor and leaders, entrepreneurs, and college students from southern Tamil Nadu. “They really feel that sadly, within the title of opposition to Hindi, they aren’t allowed to check even different South Indian languages. That is certainly unfair. Our youth will need to have the selection to check languages,” the assertion learn.
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