Modi sarkar, DMK in war of words over Hindi

Dubbing as the beginning of the "imposition of Hindi", the National Democratic Alliance government's reported directive to officials to give priority to the language in the social media, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M Karunanidhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should focus on economic growth and social development.

"Giving priority to Hindi will be construed as a first step towards attempt at creating differences among non-Hindi speaking people and making them second class citizens," the 90-year old leader, whose party spearheaded the anti-Hindi agitation in the 1960s in the state, said in a statement in New Delhi.

Reacting to media reports that officials of all Union ministries, departments, corporations, or banks, who have official accounts in social media, should use Hindi, or both Hindi and English but give priority to Hindi, Karunanidhi questioned why Hindi should be given priority over other languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of Constitution.

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Recalling decades-long history of opposing Hindi imposition and his party's role in it, Karunanidhi said at a time when the aspirations of a diverse section of people needs to be addressed through constructive efforts, showing interest in a language for communication would become diversionary.

"It is the desire and appeal of all well wishers of the nation that Prime Minister Modi should focus on accelerating economic growth and social development."

Reacting to Karunanidhi's claims that there was an unwarranted emphasis on the use of Hindi, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said, "Hindi is our national language and we need to promote it. But it will not be promoted at the cost of regional languages. It doesn’t mean we'll discourage regional languages, all languages will be given due importance."