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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s remarks come in the wake of his Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan wading into the language row between Tamil Nadu and the Union Government recently.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. (File image/PTI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday weighed in over the ongoing language row between the MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government and the Centre, saying that the “national language” will enable fluent conversation in Delhi in Hindi.
While addressing the assembly, the Chief Minister said that only those people who study in their mother tongue are excelling across the world. He further highlighted that there is a misconception that only English language can guarantee knowledge.
“Language is only for communication. Knowledge will not come with language. Only people who study in their mother tongue are excelling across the world. It is easy to learn (through the mother tongue),” Naidu said as quoted by news agency PTI.
“I am telling this very clearly to you… language is not for hating. Here (in Andhra Pradesh) the mother tongue is Telugu. Hindi is the national language and international language is English,” he asserted.
He further noted that it is important to learn as many languages as possible for livelihood without forgetting the mother tongue. As many people are going to other countries such as Japan and Germany, he said if those languages could also be learnt here, then it will be very easy when people visit those overseas destinations.
He further appealed that there is no need to engage in ’unnecessary politics over languages’ and called for learning as many languages as possible.
Naidu’s remarks came in the wake of Deputy Chief Minister and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan wading into the language row, where he criticised the Tamil politicians for opposing Hindi while allowing their movies to be dubbed into Hindi for financial gains.
While addressing the 11th formation day of his party last week, the actor-turned-politician called for the need to embrace linguistic diversity to maintain the integrity of the nation and foster love and unity among the people. “India needs multiple languages, including Tamil, and not just two,” he said.
Slamming the DMK government, Kalyan had said, “I do not understand why some criticise Sanskrit. Why do Tamil Nadu politicians oppose Hindi while allowing their movies to be dubbed in Hindi for financial gain? They want money from Bollywood but refuse to accept Hindi—what kind of logic is that?”
After his remarks came under sharp criticism, Kalyan clarified his stance and said that he never opposed Hindi as a language and only was opposed to making it compulsory.
“Either imposing a language forcibly or opposing a language blindly; both doesn’t help to achieve the objective of National &Cultural integration of our Bharat. I had never opposed Hindi as a language. I only opposed making it compulsory. When the NEP 2020 itself does not enforce Hindi, spreading false narratives about its imposition is nothing but an attempt to mislead the public,” he said.
The DMK has accused the Hindi language in the state through the three-language formula as proposed in the new National Education Policy.
(With inputs from PTI)
- Location :
Andhra Pradesh, India, India
