Two officials got suspended on Friday over Hindi signposts along the Sathankulam-Nazareth state highway in Tamil Nadu. The government said the move violated the state’s two-language policy. DMK chief MK Stalin said, "The two-language policy is the core life principle of Tamil Nadu. Do not play with it," after the uproar.
Two officials were suspended on Friday over Hindi signposts along the Sathankulam-Nazareth state highway in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi, as Opposition parties slammed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government regarding them.
The suspensions came after videos of the newly installed signposts in Hindi along with Tamil and English surfaced on social media platforms.
In a statement, the state government said an assistant executive engineer and an assistant engineer from the highways department were responsible for including Hindi signposts, which violated the Tamil Nadu two-language policy. "Departmental action is also being taken against them." The government warned of strict action against officials who act against the policy.
The Opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) demanded action against those responsible for the Hindi signboards. "Until now, Tamil Nadu was only confronting the Centre's Hindi imposition. The state government itself is now doing that job... it seems to be the change that they spoke about," said DMK chief MK Stalin.
He wondered whether it was another TVK government attempt to test the waters and take a U-turn as soon as opposition arises. "I warn the TVK government, which is running a reels governance, to realise the danger of this and immediately change its approach. The two-language policy is the core life principle of Tamil Nadu. Do not play with it," he wrote on social media.
PMK chief Anbumani Ramadoss called it shocking that signboards were installed in Hindi in Tamil Nadu, a state that has fought against its imposition. He cited protests in Tamil Nadu against Hindi signboards on national highways and said the state government itself is now doing it and it cannot be accepted. "The government must conduct an inquiry and action must be taken against those responsible for committing the error."
There were no immediate responses from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to requests seeking their comments on the issue.