Chennai: Emphasising that he no longer belonged to any political party after he became the Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu, on his visit to the city on Sunday, said people should speak and learn in their mother tongue. He chose the occasion of legendary poet and freedom fighter Subramanya Bharati’s birth anniversary to urge people to take a vow to speak in their mother tongue.
Mr Venkaiah who felt apologetic that he could not speak in the “beautiful and ancient Tamil language”, said, “When I was in active politics, I did not find time to learn Tamil. Everyone should take a vow to speak and learn in their mother tongue.” Tamil and Tamil Nadu are close to his heart, the Vice President said while speaking at the birth anniversary celebrations of Subramanya Bharathi, who is also known as Bharathiyar (December 11, 1882 – September 11, 1921).
Like, Rabindranath Tagore, Subramanya Bharathi wanted India to break the narrow domestic walls. Showering prases on the poet, Mr Venkaiah wanted the songs and thoughts of Bharathi to find a place in the national level curriculum.
“There should not be any differences among human beings”, he said.
‘Bharathi’ was the title given to this great luminary, so was the title of ‘Mahakavi’. Both signify his extraordinary contribution to the world of letters through his poetry and his speeches.
He was truly blessed by the goddess of learning. The Vice President said that his was a vision of ‘freedom’ in the broadest sense. “Not only did he join the freedom struggle and relentlessly fought against foreign rule, but also he wanted India to be free from hunger, gender discrimination, untouchability, unclean environment, narrow linguistic and religious dogmatism”, he added.
Pointing out that Bharathiyar celebrated India's diversity and loved all languages and described Telugu as ‘Sundara Telungu,’ Mr Venkaiah said, the poet wanted Indians to be proud of their rich heritage and language and literature was an integral part of this heritage. He presented the Bharathi award to former CBI director D.R. Karthikeyan, for his exemplary service to the nation, on the occasion.
Earlier, Governor Banwarilal Purohit, while participating in the 135th birthday celebrations of Mahakavi Bharathiyar, organised by Vanavil Culture Centre and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, said Bharati's writings, poetry and prose were a great inspiration to the youth of Tamil Nadu who dedicated themselves to the cause of the freedom struggle. The great revolutionary poet Subramania Bharathi used the literary richness and versatility of Tamil to promote the cause of national unity and oneness.
“Fascinated by the richness of Tamil language and Tamil culture, I have started learning to speak in Tamil. When I heard so many speak about the poems of Bharathi today, my desire to learn Tamil has doubled. On this special occasion I pay my respects to the great poet of this land, Mahakavi Subramania Bharati”, he said.
