Pani Puri Sellers Speak Hindi, Says Tamil Nadu Minister
NDTV
The subject of Hindi - which is not India's national language as it is often mistaken to be - being taught in schools in South India has been an emotive one, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
The souring language controversy found its latest patron in Tamil Nadu's Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy on Friday, as he labelled Hindi the language of those selling 'pani puri'.
"Someone said one would get jobs if you learn Hindi. Are you getting jobs? Go and see in our city Coimbatore, they sell pani puri. They run pani puri shops," Mr Ponmudy said at a university convocation.
"Now, English is an international language. In Tamil Nadu, we should have our own system. In Tamil Nadu, Tamil is a local language and we have English the international language. Because unity in diversity, various cultures and languages are there. In Tamil Nadu, we should follow our own educational system. We also follow certain new good policies in the New Education Policy. And we are ready to follow it," he said.
Reiterating the ruling DMK's stand against the "imposition" of Hindi, the minister said that the state government will continue with the two-language formula as its policy, and decried any attempts of alleged Hindi imposition.
