Mumbai: The Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has asked the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to announce Hindi as the national language of the country. He was responding to the media question on Tamil Nadu Education Minister K Ponmudy’s remarks on Hindi.
Asked about the Tamil Nadu minister’s remark, Mr Raut said his party has always respected Hindi.
“Whenever I get an opportunity in the House, I speak in Hindi. Because the country should listen to what I want to say, it is the language of the country. Hindi is the only language which has acceptability and is spoken in the entire country,” he said.
Shiv Sena’s attempt to reach North Indian voters
Once a proud Marathi party is now turning its head towards the Hindi speaking voters. Bombay Municipal Corporation elections are coming in the state and in almost 100 of the total 227 wards in the BMC North Indian voters play a decisive role.
TN Minister’s controversial remarks on Hindi
Addressing the 37th convocation at state-run Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister reiterated that the government is determined to follow the dual language policy of English and Tamil in the state.
“While English is an international language, Tamil is a local language. We were told that learning Hindi could land us jobs. Is that so? You go and see it in our state and in Coimbatore. Who are those people who sell pani puris?” Ponmudi said at the event which was also attended by governor R N Ravi.
The remarks of the DMK Minister has created a furore over the internet.
