Amend Tweet-in-Hindi Order, Writes Tamil Nadu's Jayalalithaa to PM

Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on pushing Hindi is meeting with strong resistance from the political leaders of Tamil Nadu.

Today, Chief Minister J Jaylaalithaa has written to the PM, asking for the urgent amendment of  a recent instruction that asks union government officials to ensure their tweets and other social media posts are in Hindi. An English version is optional. (Read Full Text of Jayalalithaa's Letter)

Hindi and English are India's two official languages for union government business.

The new  social media imperative applies only for Hindi-speaking states, but Jayalalithaa says that communication via social media is important for people in all parts of the country and that Hindi posts will leave many bereft of "public information if it is not in English."

She also stresses that the emphasis on Hindi is "a highly sensitive issue and causes disquiet to the people of Tamil Nadu who are very proud of and passionate about their linguistic heritage."

Her objections come a day after her arch rival, M Karunanidhi, took the lead in opposing the union government on the matter.  (Read: After DMK objects, Government clarifies Hindi-first order)

Mr Karunanidhi, the 89-year-old chief of the Tamil Nadu party the DMK, said yesterday that  the government's order is being seen as "an attempt to treat non-Hindi speakers as second-class citizens."

He also caustically counselled the Prime Minister to "focus on development and not the prioritization of Hindi."

In an attempt to strike a note of reconciliation, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in an (English) tweet last evening, ""The Home Ministry is of the view that all Indian languages are important. The Ministry is committed to promote all languages of the country."

Anti-Hindi sentiment runs deep in Tamil Nadu.

Mr Karunanidhi's DMK won its first state election in Tamil Nadu in 1967 because of the lead role it played in a violent but successful resistance to a move to make Hindi the sole official language across the country.