Tamil Language Is Eternal, Says PM Modi. CM Stalin Asks Him To Make It Official Like Hindi

PM Modi Chennai Visit: PM Modi was speaking at an event in Chennai where he laid the foundation stone of development works worth over Rs. 31,000 crore.

PM Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin in Chennai ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Amid a raging debate over linguistic diversity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Tamil language was eternal and its culture global. Speaking at an event in Chennai where he laid the foundation stone of development works worth over Rs. 31,000 crore, PM Modi quoted a popular verse of poet Subramania Bharathi in praise of Tamil and said that in every field someone from Tamil Nadu was excelling.

"The Tamil language is eternal and the Tamil culture is global. From Chennai to Canada, from Madurai to Malaysia, from Namakkal to New York and from Salem to South Africa, the occasions of Pongal and Puthandu are marked with great fervour," ANI quoted PM Modi as saying.

Hailing Tamil Nadu as a "special place", PM Modi said, "The people, culture and language of Tamil Nadu are outstanding. In every field, someone or the other from the state is excelling. Out of 16 medals, we won in Deaflympics, youngsters from Tamil Nadu had a role in six of those medals."

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PM Modi said the government was fully committed to further popularising the Tamil language and culture. "In January this year, the new campus of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil was inaugurated in Chennai. The new campus is fully funded by the Union Government," he said.

During his address, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin urged PM Modi to make Tamil an official language on par with Hindi. The MK Stalin-led DMK has long demanded that Tamil be given "official and administrative" language status.

"Make Tamil the official language like Hindi and the official language in Madras High Court. I appeal to the government to return the central GST dues of Rs 14,006 crore to our state," ANI quoted Stalin as saying.

Stalin also called for exempting Tamil Nadu from the national medical entrance test NEET. "We are opposing NEET exam and we have also passed a Bill in the Assembly. We appeal to the PM to give exemption from the NEET exam, to Tamil Nadu," Stalin said.