Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai has hit out at the DMK government, alleging the party of playing dirty politics over Hindi and Tamil languages. Annamalai's comments came after state Chief Minister M K Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu would reject any form of Hindi hegemony, in response to Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that Hindi must be accepted without opposition.
"Stalin knows neither Hindi nor English. So he didn't understand what Amit Shah said," said Annamalai, adding that it was "clear that education in all states should be imparted in the mother tongue."
"DMK is still resorting to cheap politics in Hindi and Tamil languages. Stalin and his ministers have nothing else to talk about and have, hence, resorted to making statements on matters without understanding them," Annamalai said at a rally in Madurai on Saturday.
The war of words came as Amit Shah said, at a meeting of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language on Friday, that Hindi is not in competition with local languages. "The nation will be empowered only by promoting all Indian languages. Acceptance of official language does not come from law or circular but from harmony, inspiration and effort. There can be no other favourable moment for the promotion of Indian languages as Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi proudly presents Hindi and all other Indian languages on a global platform," Shah added.
However, Stalin retorted that Shah's statement was a "blatant attempt to subjugate non-Hindi speakers".
Annamalai also targeted the DMK government on alleged corruption, accusing the party of looting. "Minister Senthil Balaji, who is in prison, is being paid a salary. So, Stalin was also a criminal. If the ministers in the DMK ministry bring out the looted money, the debt of India and Tamil Nadu can be paid off. They have looted so much money," he said.
About the Cauvery water issue, Annamalai said the Congress party in Karnataka was creating these issues. "Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to the Prime Minister to release water from Karnataka. I ask, what did you do last week when you went to Karnataka for the opposition meeting?" said Annamalai.
He added that the Cauvery issue did not come up when BJP was in power in Karnataka." When Congress came to power in Karnataka, on the first day they said that Mekedatu dam will be built and on the third day they say that Cauvery water cannot be given to Tamil Nadu," Annamalai said.
Stalin had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his immediate intervention in instructing Karnataka to release Tamil Nadu’s due share of Cauvery water. He cited the "grim scenario" faced by the farmers of the Cauvery delta in saving their kuruvai paddy crop.