Those Speaking Hindi Are Selling 'Panipuri' Here, Says Tamil Nadu Minister Amid Language Row

Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi has sparked controversy after claiming that those speaking Hindi are selling "pani puris" and doing menial jobs in the states.

While speaking at a convocation ceremony at Bharathiar University, he said that the English language is much more valuable than Hindi.

BCCL

Don't impose Hindi

The minister made the comments in the presence of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi.

He also noted that Tamil students are willing to learn any language and added that Hindi should be an optional language and not a compulsory one.

"They say that if you learn Hindi, you will get jobs? Is it so? You can see in Coimbatore who are selling pani puris now? English is the international language and not Hindi." Pondmudi said.

BCCL

The minister also promised to implement the beneficial aspects of the National Education Policy 2020 but added that the state government was determined to only implement a two-language system.

Responding to the minister, Governor Ravi denied the claims of Hindi imposition and highlighted Tamil's richness and wealth which he wanted to be spread across the country by enabling more people to learn the language.

"An impression is created by some people that the Central government is imposing a language on Tamil Nadu or anyone. I think that is far from the truth. That is not correct," he said.

They can't find jobs there

Later speaking to the media, Ponmudy said that he intended to say the apparent Hindi-speaking persons came to the southern state only in search of a job.

"I meant they had come here only because they didn't find a job there," he said.

BCCL

More Hindi-speakers are migrating to south

"Learning Hindi will increase the job prospects of hon-Hindi speakers" -- is a long-held argument by those in favour of it.

However, many leaders in South India who see the introduction of Hindi as an imposition of the language by the government have opposed any such moves.

Citing recent government data, they have also pointed out that in fact, more people from Hindi-speaking states are migrating to non-Hindi-speaking ones, including in the south in search of jobs.

BCCL

Language debate

The row over Hindi which has lingered for decades was reignited by Home Minister Amit Shah who had recently suggested that people from different states should speak Hindi, instead of English.

This was even rejected by Tamil Nadu BJP Chief K Annamalai who said that the state BJP unit will not allow accept or allow Hindi imposition there.

Recently actor Ajay Devgn had also sparked a controversy after he falsely claimed that Hindi was and will always be India's national language.

For more on news, sports and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.