New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday expressed anguish over not being allowed to learn Hindi in Tamil Nadu as a student and was even mocked on the streets for attempting to learn the language.
The minister’s reply to the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha digressed to the language issue when some Opposition members tried to corner Sitharaman over her Hindi.
Recalling her experience as a student in Tamil Nadu, Sitharaman shared her experience when learning Hindi and Sanskrit was looked down upon in the southern state.
Sitharaman recounted being mocked on the streets while trying to learn Hindi as a student, where Hindi and Sanskrit were considered foreign languages. She emphasized the irony of being labeled an ‘outsider’ for seeking linguistic knowledge within the country.
The minister criticized political strategies behind language impositions while lauding Prime Minister Modi for promoting Tamil on international stages. Sitharaman questioned past alliances, highlighting Modi’s efforts to respect and embrace Tamil culture.
