"No Jobs In North": Tamil Nadu Minister Clarifies Remark On Hindi Speakers
NDTV
Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Education Minister K Ponmudy said, "Various persons from Tamil Nadu go and work in the northern states. I said in this sense that various persons from the north come here and work because there is no work available in Northern states"
Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy – who made headlines with his Hindi speakers "selling paani puri" remark – issued a clarification today. Amid sharpened language divide after Centre's alleged plan to introduce Hindi as a third language in schools, the minister had questioned the efficacy of learning the language in the south and labelled it the language of "paani puri" sellers.
As a storm of criticism broke, the minister said his remark was made in the context of what he called a lack of jobs in the northern states.
"Various persons from Tamil Nadu go and work in the northern states. I said in this sense that various persons from the north come here and work because there is no work available in northern states," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI today.
At a university convocation earlier today, Mr Ponmudi had questioned the use of learning Hindi for residents in the state.
