NEW DELHI: A heated debate over language imposition unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that she was mocked in Tamil Nadu for attempting to learn Hindi during her school years.
Recalling her student days, Sitharaman said she faced ridicule on the streets of Tamil Nadu for pursuing Hindi. “I was mocked for wanting to learn Hindi in Tamil Nadu. I was told, ‘You live in Tamil Nadu and want to learn Hindi, North India’s language?’ These words still echo in my ears,” she said.
“Learning Hindi and Sanskrit are perceived as learning some other foreign language and words that they used is people who have come over to this land. Is Tamil Nadu not part of India. So what’s wrong in my learning Hindi,” the finance minister said.
She added that she was called vandheri—a Tamil term meaning outsider.
Sitharaman said that her “fundamental right” to learn the language of her choice was denied. She accused the state of fostering a culture where Hindi and Sanskrit were perceived as foreign languages. “Is Tamil Nadu not part of India? What is wrong in learning Hindi?” she asked, adding, “It’s fine to oppose the imposition of Hindi, but why impose restrictions on those wanting to learn it?”
Smt Nirmala Sitharaman’s reply during Discussion on The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in LS
We oppose the imposition of Hindi: DMK
Her remarks drew sharp criticism from the DMK, with Thoothukudi MP K Kanimozhi rejecting the allegations. “It has never been the case that anybody was stopped from learning any language in Tamil Nadu. We oppose the imposition of Hindi, not the learning of it,” she said.
Sitharaman also defended the BJP’s respect for regional languages, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to elevate Tamil on global platforms, including the UN.