“Compulsory introduction of Hindi is bound to be resented by South. Protagonists of Hindi would do well to keep this in their mind if they do really wish for the propagation of Hindi”.

His Excellency Sri Prakasa, Governor of Bombay, gave this wholesome advice, to an audience at Benares, on the 28th of July.

We are glad that the very rich experience that

Sri Prakasa had had here, as Governor of Madras, is bearing fruit and we do offer our heart-felt thanks to His Excellency. Such an advice, is certainly needed urgently and in more vigorous a manner, for there is action in the upcountry, which is fanatically wedded to Hindi.

This section is loud in their denunciation of what they term as the ‘go-slow’ policy adopted by the ruling party at Delhi. This section thinks and talks, in much the same strain and vein of the Moghul Emperors of yore! Hindi is the National language and he who does not know Hindi, should not be given a place in Bharath Governmental activities, these protagonists fanatically advocate.
The South—especially Tamil Nad—raised the banner of revolt against this Hindi Imperialism years ago, and by the very many acts of self-sacrifice and suffering, the Tamilians made the ruling party cry halt to their hectic way.

Realising that compulsion would result in a chaos which cannot be easily put down, the ‘prudent ones’ are today following the easier way of infiltration and they chuckle at this!

That section which knows but the ‘blunt way’ is enraged at what it terms as the weak and vacillating policy adopted by the Congress regime—but others endowed with prudence and intelligence know for certain, that the policy now adopted—is the best under the circumstances—slow poisoning!!

Sri Prakasa, seasoned and astute politician that he is, marches a step further and asks the Northerner to learn one of the South Indian languages!

If the Governor of Bombay and men of his way of thinking, hope to tickle the vanity of the southerner by this suggestion, they are mightily mistaken. Some of them pay handsome tributes to the Tamil language and at the same time they place Hindi on the pedestal. We are reminded of Paine’s remark.

“He pities the plumage, but forgets the dying bird”.

They know that the antipathy to Hindi, is not linguistic fanaticism. The South resents Hindi, because that language is pushed through for the sole purpose of annihilating the National instinct inherent in the South. That Hindi is after all a vehicle of North Indian Imperialism, even teenagers know, and the fanatics of Hindi in the upcountry do not mince matters—they are ready to parade the purpose behind their policy.

There is a time limit for any tactics and we are afraid, that the advice offered by men of Sri Prakasa’s way of thinking is after all belated tactics. The South knows the purpose behind the policy.

“Those who today oppose Hindi” argued the Finance Minister of our State, “are the real enemies of Tamilians; for by their insensible attitude, they are making it difficult, almost impossible for Tamilians to get their due share in the All India Services. Just as, those people who refused to learn English, were left behind, so too, the Tamilians if they are going to be so foolish as to ignore or oppose Hindi are going to be pushed aside”.

Touch the right chord and you get the desired tune!—the Finance-cum-Education Minister, seems to think. There was almost a sneer in his argument.

Mr. Anbazhagan, rose up to ask, “Does that mean, Sir, that Hindi today is the language of the Imperialist, just as English was during the British regime?” The Finance Minister prudently brushed aside this question by saying, “those who think in terms of Tamil Nadu as a separate entity are at liberty to call Hindi as the language of the Imperialist.” The D.M.K was satisfied for it was in the nature of an admission, almost a confession! The Finance Minister did not deny the fact, that Hindi is the language of the imperialist; he merely expressed his willingness to stoop to it!

Just as the brutal onslaught of Hindi was opposed with a mighty vigour, this policy of slow-poisoning also is being oppossed by the entire Tamilian Nation—barring of course that section which basks in the political sunshine!

It needs no argument to prove that a Nation is welded by language - and we the Tamilians do claim, that, though we are chained to the chairot wheel of Delhi, are a distinct Nation with a hoary past and are determined to convince the Pandit about this great truth. True, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, is furious and refuses to face what he erroneously terms as fissiparous tendency.

This is not fissiparous tendency, but an honest and heart-felt attempt at regaining the soul of a nation fallen on bad days and bad tongues. We are confident of convincing Pandit Nehru, about our just claim and in the words of the Finance Minister of Madras, “We are at liberty to hold the view that Hindi is the language of the Imperialist.”

We now respectfully request the governor of Bombay to say, whether we would be happy at the new policy—that of slow poisoning—or whether our vanity would be tickled by His Excellency’s other suggestion, “the Northerner to learn one of the South Indian Languages.”

Sri Prakasa is an erudite scholar and knows history and the lessons that that rich field of human activity offers. Hence it is with confidence, we offer what
De Valera says, about the language problem.

“If I were leaving the scene to-morrow and was asked what I would leave to the lrish people, or what I would wish to the lrish nation, it would be: If you want to continue to be lrish you must save the lrish language.”

(Editorial - 04-08-1957)