Date:06/03/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/03/06/stories/2003030604871100.htm

National

MPs clash over language issue in Lok Sabha

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI March 5. The Lok Sabha was adjourned during question hour this morning as rival MPs nearly came to blows on the language issue. The fracas followed a heated 20-minute impromptu debate on the issue of milestones being marked only in English and Hindi in Tamil Nadu.

C. Krishnan of the MDMK raised the issue during question hour. He wanted to know from the Surface Transport Minister, B. C. Khanduri, why the Tamil markings on the milestones had been rubbed out and were being replaced with Hindi and English markings.

Upset over Mr. Krishnan's innocuous query, members of the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Samata Party were on their feet protesting what they called "attempts to sideline Hindi.''

Akhilesh Singh of the SP said that Hindi was a national language and that it must be used extensively, while Prabhunath Singh of the Samata said ``we cannot tolerate any affront to the national language.''

Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) also protested vociferously.

Cutting across party lines, the MPs from Tamil Nadu came together to protest attempts to "impose Hindi" on the people of the State. P.H. Pandian of the AIADMK, E. Ponnuswamy (PMK) and S. S. Palanimanickam (DMK) were on their feet with E. Ahamad of the IUML supporting them.

"We don't know the language, why should it be imposed on us,'' Mr. Pandian asked the Speaker, Manohar Joshi, while Dr. Krishnan reminded the House that the country "must honour the promise given by Nehru that Hindi will never be imposed on the people.''

The verbal exchange soon grew louder, and the slogan, ek desh ek hi bhasha (one nation, one language), was raised in favour of Hindi.At one point, Mr. Pandian asked the protesting MPs if they would accept Tamil road signs in Hindi-speaking States.

"There can be no compromise'' on the language issue as it was a very emotional one. "There was an anti-Hindi agitation in 1965 in which many people lost their lives.''

Urging those raising slogans in favour of Hindi to respect the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Pandian said "the language has a rich heritage and the House has to safeguard that heritage."

He urged the Government to restore the milestones with Tamil markings as the issue was dear to all the parties in the State.

Suddenly, a stray remark by a member of the SP irked the DMK MPs who rushed towards them.The members of the SP and the RJD responded in a similar fashion.

The two sides had to be physically separated by senior members of the House.

With the situation threatening to get out of hand, the Speaker adjourned the Lok Sabha for ten minutes.