DMK slams Tamil Nadu Governor after he wades into language row

Chennai: Wading into the language row in Tamil Nadu, state Governor RN Ravi on Friday said the "rigid" two language policy of the state government has deprived youth in the southern parts of TN of opportunities.

Southern TN has become a "neglected backyard" and this was "unfair," he said.

The ruling DMK hit out at Ravi over his comments, accusing him of "spewing hatred" against Tamil Nadu.

The Governor, who is touring the southern Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts, took to 'X' to inform about an interaction he had with representatives from various fields, including those from education, business, health, hospitality, youth startups, women entrepreneurs, MSME sectors besides students.

He said that it was encouraging to see their positive energy and enterprise transforming lives for the better despite "numerous difficulties and systemic obstacles."

"This region is rich in human and natural resources and yet it feels like a neglected backyard. Despite huge potential for industrialisation, people here feel neglected of opportunities. Problems of substance/drug abuse among youth is serious. There is huge demand for implementation of the NEP 2020. The youth of this region feel hugely deprived of opportunities compared to those from neighboring states due to the rigid two language policy of the State Government. They feel that unfortunately in the name of opposition to Hindi they are not allowed to study even any other South Indian languages. This is indeed unfair. Our youth must have a choice to study language," the official 'X' handle of TN Raj Bhavan quoted Ravi as saying.

Responding, Law Minister S Regupathy asked Ravi to "not impart lessons to Tamils about their language affinity." The Governor was "repeatedly spewing hatred against Tamil, Tamil Nadu and Tamil Thaai Vazhthu (the state anthem)," he said in an apparent reference to past controversies.

"Unable to stand the strides made by Tamil Nadu in economy and education, Governor Ravi has been spewing hatred against the state," the senior DMK leader charged in a party statement.

He asked if Ravi can specify in which sector was south Tamil Nadu lagging behind and claimed TN has made "uncomparable" strides in education, medicine and economy, against other Indian states. This was evident from the data released by the Central government, Regupathy added.

"These achievements were possible due to Tamil Nadu's two-language policy. Aren't the Tamils aware of the plans of hegemonic people to impose Hindi through the National Education Policy (NEP)," he asked.

Hitting out at Ravi for his remark that one must have a choice to study language, Reghupathy said "we are aware what is choice and what is imposition." "Such drama will not work here," he said.

The ruling DMK has been alleging Hindi imposition by the Centre through the 3-language formula as part of the NEP, a charged denied by the union government.