Faced similar taunts: P Chidambaram backs Kanimozhi on Hindi row

CHENNAI: The Chennai airport episode involving DMK MP Kanimozhi and a CISF officer over the issue of “communicating in Hindi” on Sunday has given the stick to the Dravidian parties to beat the Centre with on the issue. If that is on expected lines, it has also managed to bring the north-south divide over Hindi to the fore.
“One can’t simply ignore this as an issue involving one CISF officer. It clearly indicates the seriousness with which the Centre’s machinery is working to impose Hindi,” MDMK general secretary Vaiko said. “This is also clearly seen in the thrust given to Hindi and Sanskrit in the Centre’s NEP. Tamil Nadu will go to any extent to prevent any autocratic attempt by the Centre to impose Hindi,” said Vaiko.
Stating that language is an emotional issue, Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani urged all the MPs from Tamil Nadu to unite to bring in necessary change in the attitude of the Centre on this. “Tamil Nadu government too should not see this as an issue concerning any single party and write strongly to the Centre,” Veeramani said, while adding that integration is not for the soil, but for people.
Soon enough, others joined the fray, with Congress veteran P Chidambaram terming it as not unusual. “I have experienced similar taunts from government officers and ordinary citizens who insisted that I speak in Hindi,” he tweeted.
Former Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy wasn’t far behind. “I raise my voice against the insult meted to... Kanimozhi. Now, it is apt to debate how political leaders from the South were snatched off their opportunities by Hindi politics and discrimination,” he tweeted. DMK president and Kanimozhi’s half-brother M K Stalin also spoke out. “Is Hindi the benchmark for being an Indian. Is this India or ‘H’india,” he asked. Kanimozhi had twitted that a CISF official had asked her if “she was an Indian” after she asked the latter to speak in English or Tamil.