The Hindu : Annadurai & Hindi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 09, 2002

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Annadurai & Hindi

Sir, — While dedicating the Tamil version of his Hindi poems to the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C.N. Annadurai, the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, seems to have said that `Anna' appreciated Hindi as good language, especially when Mr. Vajpayee spoke it (June 30). This was the context. There was a mixture of English words in the speeches made in Hindi by various speakers in the Rajya Sabha. `Anna' referred to the poor quality of Hindi speeches and asserted that if it were his mother tongue, he would not have left the language in such a deplorable state. He had no objection to Hindi lovers promoting the language without the Government in any way supporting it. His only objection was to the thrusting of it on others.

A.O. Balasundaram,

Melagaram, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — I feel that the people of Tamil Nadu were not willing to accept Hindi when the three-language formula was accepted by all the other States. Today, our nation's achievements in computer literacy and information technology are because of English, though many States wanted the mother tongue to be given importance.

I had an unforgettable experience in the early Seventies when returning from NCC training at Gwalior. We were on the Delhi-Bangalore train and when we reached Madras, we had to face the mob fury of anti-Hindi agitators, many of whom were school children. They pelted stones and broke the glass shutters. They forced their entry into the compartments and made us all repeat slogans against Hindi. The intolerance against Hindi continues even today.

Shreedevi R. Nair,

Aluva, Kerala

Temples languishing

Sir, — It is reported (July 2) that the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet decided to amend the tenancy and agricultural laws to exempt endowment lands from the Tenancy Acts. According to the amendment small and marginal farmers would be evicted if they did not opt for purchase of land provided two-third value of the market rent was paid. The temples in Tamil Nadu have acres of land endowed to them by Kings and devotees, but they have not even a one time puja due to the failure of payment of rent by the lease holders. Many temples are in need of renovation. Exemption from Tenancy Act to these lands will fetch more income to the temples. The income will meet the expenditure of the daily requirements of the temples. The priests will get their salary regularly.

The need of the hour is to exempt temples in Tamil Nadu from the Tenancy Act.

G. Purushothaman,

Tirunelveli, T.N.

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