Prasar Bharti orders 15-min Sanskrit bulletins, Tamil Nadu leaders slam Centre

DMK president M K Stalin slammed it as an imposition of language on a plural society.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu condemned a directive from Prasar Bharati to regional satellite channels to run a daily Sanskrit bulletin for 15 minutes.

The directive from the Indian public service broadcaster was issued on November 26. (HT photo)

“The Government of India has a great responsibility to ensure the unity of a diverse country by giving equal status to all 22 languages, including classical Tamil, in the eighth schedule of the Constitution,” DMK president MK Stalin said in a statement.

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“The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, since the day it has came to power in the Centre, has been imposing Hindi, Sanskrit. Dominating other languages and undermining unity at all levels,” said Stalin, slamming imposition of a particular language on a plural society.

DMK’s ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) demanded that the order be revoked.

“It is evident that the order is aimed at implementing the agenda of the Sangh parivar,” said VCK founder-president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan. “It is not only against the Tamil language but also against speakers of other languages.”

According to the 2011 census, only 24,000 people claim Sanskrit as their mother tongue, he added.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader S Ramadoss and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader also spoke out against the order.

The directive from the Indian public service broadcaster was issued on November 26.