Mind your language, politician!
A Dalit thinker, writer and Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) leader Ravikumar says the anti-hindi agitation whose 50th anniversary is sought to be celebrated by separatist groups in Tamilnadu, that the agitation had reduced Tamil as a political tool in the hands of politicians here. That explains the de-throning of congress in the State and the four decades old regime of DMK and ADMK as a fall-out of the anti-Hindi agitation of 1965. M Karunanidhi who has run out of any serious agenda promises to jump into the language war once again, this time it will be anti-Hindi as well as anti-Samskritam. While politicians try to whip up linguistic passions, common people of Tamilnadu made it very clear that they are for Hindi. The number of persons appearing for Hindi exams conducted by the Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha is increasing by one lakh every year.
Eating the cake and having it too!
Tamilnadu Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan warned IAS officer C Umashankar that it had come to the government's notice that he was to take part in 'preaching and propagating activities' in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts from January 24 to January 26 "which are likely to cause communal disharmony and disturbance to public order." Umashankar cancelled his tour following the Chief Secretary’s direction. Umashankar was also warned of "appropriate action" under relevant provisions of All India Services (conduct) Rules. Who is this Umashankar? He says he is Hindu officially, but Christian by faith. He goes round the State addressing Christians from the platform of a Pentecostal proselytizing outfit. Naturally the logic forwarded by Hindu Munnani that a serving IAS Officer should not be so partisan has resulted in the stern warning by Chief Secretary. But Umashankar says that he will seek remedy from the courts. It is noteworthy that police in the Southern districts had to file two cases following deterioration of law and order due to earlier meetings addressed by Umashankar. On one of the earlier occasions, Umashankar had argued that no one has the power to dictate what religion a Dalit like him should follow.
Hindu baiters beware!
You can make Hindus angry by vilifying Hindu customs and traditions and get away with it—this no more is the case. Perumal Murugan, a college lecturer turned Tamil writer authored a book ‘Mathurobhagan’ (Arthanareeswara). The novel is based on an alleged Thiruchencode ritual. The book describes the annual temple Ratha festival of the temple as an occasion for issueless women to beget child by seeking a male partner from the festival crowd during the night. In effect Perumal Murugan dubs all women of the village as prostitutes; he goes further and describes the next generation in total consisted of bastards. No wonder, the village was up in arms. The writer could not continue to stay in his house in the town. From the safety of another town, now he crows about freedom of expression etc. But he will soon be pinned down by legal steps against him contemplated by Hindu Munnani.
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