Tamil Nadu higher education minister, K Ponmudy, said that English is more valuable than Hindi as a language, and those who speak Hindi are engaged in low-status jobs. He also indicated that those who speak Hindi are selling panipuri in Coimbatore.
Hindi Speaking People Sell Pani Puri
According to the reports, Tamil Nadu’s higher education minister, Ponmudy, while addressing a conference at Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, said that English is more valuable than Hindi as a language, claiming those who speak Hindi are engaged in low-status jobs. He also indicated that those who speak Hindi are selling panipuri in Coimbatore.
“While English is an international language, Tamil is a local language. We were told that learning Hindi could land us jobs. Is that so? You go and see it in our state and in Coimbatore. Who are those people who sell Pani puris?” Ponmudi said at the event which was also attended by governor R N Ravi.
English over Hindi
Additionally, Ponmudy also said that Tamil students were willing to learn any language and that Hindi should be optional and not compulsory.
He promised to implement beneficial aspects of the National Education Policy 2020 but claimed that the state government was committed to only implementing a two-language system.
“CN Annadurai (DMK founder and former chief minister) strongly batted for English and Tamil. He used to tell a story about a person making two separate entrances for cats and rats. That person was told that the rat can also enter through the entrance made for cats. We are learning an international language, English. What is the need for other languages?” he said.
"Those who speak Hindi, sell pani puri"
K. Ponmudy, Education Minister of TN mocking Hindi & Hindi speakers. Shame! pic.twitter.com/gEmHSM0gPE
— PM Sai Prasad?? (@pm_saiprasad) May 13, 2022
While sharing the stage at the convocation ceremony with Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, he questioned why one should learn Hindi when English, an international language, is already being taught.
