Learning Hindi is my right, was unable to because of Tamil Nadu politics: MoS L Murugan

'Whatever Hindi I learnt, it was after coming to Delhi. My Hindi is broken one, and please forgive me, if there is any mistake,' he said. The Union minister also said that he would not speak about politics from this stage.

Varanasi (UP): Union minister of state for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan on Tuesday said that owing to politics in Tamil Nadu, he was unable to learn Hindi, and whatever Hindi he learnt, it was after he came to Delhi. He also said that learning Hindi is his right.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0, L Murugan said, "(Union Education Minister) Dharmendra Pradhan ji brought the New Education Policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But, owing to politics in our Tamil Nadu, I was unable to learn Hindi.

Whatever Hindi I learnt, it was after coming to Delhi. My Hindi is broken one, and please forgive me, if there is any mistake." The Union minister also said that he would not speak about politics from this stage.

"But, why I am being denied the opportunity to learn Hindi? I will learn Hindi, it is my right. But, there are no opportunities there (apparently referring to Tamil Nadu)," Murugan said.

The three-language formula recommended by the NEP has been at the centre of controversy, with Tamil Nadu refusing to implement it, alleging imposition of Hindi by the Centre.

The Centre has, however, refuted Tamil Nadu's charge.

Dharmendra Pradhan and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath jointly inaugurated the fourth edition of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam 4.0 on Tuesday.

Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0, which began today at Namo Ghat in Varanasi, features an exhibition organised by the Central Bureau of Communications, Lucknow, a unit of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, highlighting the life philosophies of great personalities from Kashi and Tamil Nadu, and the work being undertaken by the Central Government for public welfare, an official statement said.

Earlier, Dr L Murugan, inaugurated the exhibition, after which it was opened to the public, and will continue until December 15.

On the first day of the exhibition, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Dharmendra Pradhan, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry K Kailashnathan, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and many other dignitaries visited the exhibition.

Adityanath said that through this, the people will be aware of the cultures of Kashi and Tamil, as well as the efforts being made by the government for public welfare.

The photo exhibition also depicted the contributions and achievements of great personalities of Tamil Nadu and Kashi in nation-building.

This edition of the Sangamam is anchored in 'Let Us Learn Tamil: Tamil Karkalam,' placing Tamil language learning and linguistic unity at the centre of the Sangamam, an official statement said.

Key programmes include Tamil Karkalam (Tamil teaching in Varanasi schools), Tamil Karpom (Tamil learning study tours for 300 students from the Kashi region), and the Sage Agastya vehicle expedition (tracing the civilisational route from Tenkasi to Kashi).

This year's Sangamam will conclude with a grand valedictory function at Rameswaram, symbolically completing the cultural arc from Kashi to Tamil Nadu, the statement added.