At a recent event honoring the Tamil saint Ayya Vaikundar, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi expressed concerns about a “language war” happening in the state. He criticized the long-standing two-language policy, which might limit educational and job opportunities for young people in Tamil Nadu.
During his speech, Ravi emphasized that Bharat and Sanatana Dharma are deeply connected. He remarked, “If there is a threat to Sanatana Dharma, there is a threat to Bharat.” This comment highlighted the cultural and spiritual aspects of India but soon shifted focus to the ongoing language debates.
His remarks came amid tensions between the state’s ruling party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and the central government over the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which some believe pushes Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states.
Ravi accused various forces, both foreign and domestic, of trying to divide India along language and racial lines. He drew parallels to colonial strategies, stating, “They are trying to create division among the people… but Sanatana is eternal.”
The Governor insisted that no language is being imposed on anyone. He challenged the DMK’s stance, which has traditionally supported Tamil and English while opposing Hindi. “People are free to choose their language in India. Unfortunately, in our state, people are not free,” he said, indirectly criticizing the DMK government.
A statement from the Raj Bhavan labeled the two-language policy as “rigid.” It claimed that students in Tamil Nadu feel disadvantaged compared to their peers in other states. The statement highlighted feedback from the Governor’s discussions with local leaders and students, who expressed frustration at being unable to study other South Indian languages due to the strict policy. “Our youth must have the choice to study languages,” it concluded.
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