Uproar over Hindi boards in TN buses

Opposition parties and activists in Tamil Nadu are up in arms against the ruling AIADMK government for what they allege as ‘Hindi imposition’ after some instructions to passengers in the newly rolled out buses, owned by the state road transport corporation (TNSRTC) and Metropolitan Transport Corporation, were issued in Hindi.

The images displaying instructions in Hindi on emergency exits, entrance and exit doors of the buses had gone viral on social media networks.

The move came under attack from DMK’s Thoothukkudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi who said it was an attempt by the state government to diminish the importance of Tamil and impose Hindi in the state.

“Since the state government purchased all these buses with the tax money of the people of Tamil Nadu, why should they impose Hindi here?” Kanimozhi asked on Twitter.

However, the state transport department officials refuted Kanimozhi’s allegations saying that they have already removed instructions in Hindi from the buses. “No government bus have Hindi instructions in Tamil Nadu. As the buses were manufactured in other states, they had Hindi stickers. However, we removed them before they were rolled out,” a statement issued by the state transport department read.

Language had always been a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu with the anti-Hindi agitation of the 1960’s playing a crucial role in the growth of Dravidian parties in the state.