During the Tamil Nadu visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a rally, said the letters he receives from Tamil Nadu leaders don’t have signatures in the Tamil language.
Amid the language row between the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government, PM Modi took a veiled jibe at the state government and said he receives several letters from Tamil Nadu leaders, none of them are signed in Tamil. While addressing a rally in Rameswaram, PM Modi said none of the Tamil Nadu ministers sign their letters to the Centre in the Tamil language. “If you are proud of Tamil, then I would request everyone at least sign your name in Tamil,” PM said.
The language row between Tamil Nadu and the Centre has been ongoing for very long, however, it was amplified due to the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. MK Stalin claimed that the policy undermines the state’s autonomy and linguistic diversity and prioritises Hindi over regional languages.
PM Modi’s subtle jibe at MK Stalin
Addressing a public gathering in Rameswaram after inaugurating the New Pambam bridge, Prime Minister Modi said, “The Government is constantly working to ensure that the Tamil language and Tamil heritage reach every corner of the world. Sometimes, I am surprised when I receive letters from some leaders of Tamil Nadu; none of them are signed in the Tamil language. If you are proud of Tamil, then I would request everyone at least sign your name in Tamil.”
PM further urged the state government to commence medical courses in the Tamil language for more inclusivity. “I would urge the Tamil Nadu government to start medical courses in the Tamil language so that even the children of poor families can fulfil their dream of becoming doctors. Our effort is to ensure that the youth of our country do not have to go abroad to become doctors. In the last 10 years, Tamil Nadu has got 11 new medical colleges,” Prime Minister Modi said.
PM Modi inaugurates Pamban Bridge
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge – the country’s first vertical-lift sea bridge – in Tamil Nadu. PM Modi visited Tamil Nadu on the occasion of Ram Navami. He also flagged off a Coast Guard ship – which passed under the bridge – and the new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train.
(ANI inputs)
