Centre trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states: MDMK

MADURAI: MDMK today alleged that the Centre was trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states and said it was not good for the unity of the country.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement at the 10th Vishwa Hindi Sammelan ( World Hindi Conference) highlighting the importance of Hindi and the need for enriching it, MDMK chief Vaiko told reporters here that the language was only a few centuries old.

He claimed that the Centre was trying to impose Hindi and said such a move was "not good for the unity and integrity of the nation".

Inaugurating the Sammelan at Bhopal yesterday, Modi had highlighted the importance of Hindi and said, "If we forget Hindi, it will be a loss to the country."

"Though my mother tongue is Gujarati, I think at times what would have happened to me had I not known Hindi. I know fairly well the strength of knowing any language," he had said, adding that the focus should not be on only promoting Hindi but other endangered languages as well.

On the Cauvery issue, Vaiko said Karnataka should realise that Tamil Nadu government was only asking its share as per the court order.