‘Hindi is the language of underdeveloped states’, DMK MP’s statement created a ruckus, BJP said – trying to create division between North-South

Tamil Nadu (Tamil NaduThe BJP on Monday announced the Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)DMK) has expressed displeasure over the casteist remarks made by MP TKS Elangovan regarding Hindi speaking states. BJP has also reprimanded him for the statement of DMK MP. BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupati (Narayanan Thirupathy) made a big claim that the DMK is resuming the language debate. Its intention is trying to divide between North-South India over language. Significantly, recently, there was a dispute in many states of South India regarding the Hindi language.

Speaking to India Today, BJP spokesperson Thirupati said, “Elangovan says that Hindi is the language of people living in underdeveloped states. This is absolutely wrong. Every 10 to 15 days these people start talking about the language. These people want to create division between North and South. Thirupati said the DMK was stirring up the language controversy so that it could hide the failures of its government in Tamil Nadu. He said, ‘I think they (DMK) are trying to instigate people. He has shamed the Hindi people and the people of India. The ideology of DMK is that of a separate ezam (independent state).

What did the DMK MP say after all?

In fact, a statement by DMK MP Elangovan sparked controversy when he claimed that Hindi is the language of underdeveloped states and people would become ‘Shudras’ by adopting Hindi. Elangovan said, ‘Hindi is the mother tongue only in underdeveloped states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan. Once look at West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab. Aren’t these all developed states? Hindi is not the mother tongue of the people of these states. Hindi will turn us into ‘Shudras’. Hindi will not be good for us.

How did the debate about language start?

The debate on the language started with a statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in April. He had said that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not as a local language. After Amit Shah’s statement, the Chief Ministers of southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu were very angry. However, during a recent visit to Chennai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Tamil language as eternal and its culture global. In such a situation, it was believed that he wanted to end the dispute over the language.