Language row rages: Remove Hindi banners from Ooty railway station, A Raja writes to Ashwini Vaishnaw; cites Tamil sentiments | Coimbatore News
COIMBATORE: DMK deputy general secretary and the Nilgiris MP A Raja on Sunday urged Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to remove banners written in Hindi from the Nilgiris railway station. He said a quote displayed at the station and attributed to Madan Mohan Malaviya was originally said by Tamil poet Mahakavi Bharathi.In a letter to the Union minister, Raja expressed concerns over the increasing usage and prominence of Hindi at the railway station, which, he said, had stirred widespread protests.“The Udhagamandalam railway station in my constituency is more than 100 years old. Upliftment of the station is underway under the Amrit Bharat scheme. While only 90% of the work is complete, banners have already been put up on the walls, hurting the sentiments of the Tamil people,” he said.Raja emphasised that Tamil Nadu had a long and proud history of linguistic identity and cultural autonomy. The people of the state, he noted, had consistently advocated for a two-language policy, in line with the regional needs and historical context.“The recent developments at Udhagamandalam railway station are seen as a case of linguistic imposition. Promoting Hindi in public spaces feels disconnected from the linguistic needs of the local population and is viewed as a political assertion,” he said and reiterated that the quote attributed to Malaviya was actually said by Mahakavi Bharathi.He urged Ashwini Vaishnaw to respect the linguistic sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu and avoid the compulsory inclusion of Hindi where it was not contextually necessary. He requested that officials be directed to remove the banners in question.
