Hindi and English as main subjects at the graduation level and law and commerce in Hindi medium
_0_0_0_2_0.jpg "Academics, parties slam Hindi circular")
Hindi And English Compulsary At Graduation Level
Chennai: The BJP government’s circular to universities asking them to teach Hindi and English “as main subjects” at the graduation level has caused a huge furore here with several Tamil parties and academicians revolting and demand its withdrawal. The circular signed by under secretary Kulvinder Kaur of the language division of home ministry has also directed the universities to teach law and commerce “in Hindi medium also”.
The circular has asked the universities to submit their action-taken report to the UGC by September 20 and also mail it to the ‘Rajbhasa department’ of the home ministry. It also referred to a meeting organised by the Central Hindi Committee and chaired by the Prime Minister on July 28, 2011, where apparently the above two decisions had been taken.
“This circular is shocking. There is no clarity whether the Centre had consulted the states. We cannot allow this”, said Dr S. Ramadoss, founder-leader of the PMK, a BJP ally. He has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular.
Former legislator K. Samarasam of the ruling AIADMK said the “unwarranted” circular should be viewed as yet “another attempt to impose Hindi on the non-Hindi speaking states”. “Why should the Modi government issue this circular now?”
DMK spokesman T.K.S. Elangovan urged the Centre to drop the circular “immediately”. The Tamil Nadu people “will never accept such Hindi imposition”, he said. The BJP in Tamil Nadu is clearly on the backfoot.
“I have not seen the circular but I can say that none can enforce anything on the others these days. You cannot impose Hindi like this. It is not proper”, said party’s state secretary K. T. Raghavan.
“We have not got such a circular but if that comes, we will strongly oppose it”, said Madras University vice-chancellor Prof R. Thandavan. Former vice-chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education Prof. A. Ramasamy termed the circular “undemocratic” and urged the Centre to stop imposing Hindi in the Dravidian state. “Even leaders like Gandhi and Nehru had advocated learning in mother tongue, so how can they (Centre) now impose Hindi on us?” he questioned.
( Source : dc )
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