Tamil Nadu: 22 DMK members detained in Vellore for striking off Hindi letters from railway station name board

Vellore: Row over the Hindi language intensified on Wednesday after 22 cadres of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) were detained in Tamil Nadu's Vellore after they tried to strike off the Hindi letters on the railway station name board. The development comes days after Home Minister Amit Shah's 'one-nation one-language' remark. 

Several party members were seen holding placards "Don't oppose Tamils" and "We will protect Tamil" and shouting "Don't impose Hindi" slogans. The detained cadres were taken to a nearby hall.

Shah’s comments on Hindi Diwas, batting for a common language – Hindi, has raked up a storm across the country. Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister had said it's imperative to have “one language for the whole of country”. If there’s one language that can keep the country intact, it is Hindi, which is spoken in most parts of the country, he added.

Hitting out at the statement, DMK chief MK Stalin had said, “We have been continuously waging protest against the imposition of Hindi. Today's remarks made by Amit Shah gave us a jolt, it will affect the unity of the country. We demand that he takes his statement back.” 

Actors-turned-politicians Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth also said that no language should be “forced on people”.

“Hindi shouldn't be imposed. Not just Tamil Nadu but none of the southern states will accept imposition of Hindi. Not only Hindi, no language should be imposed,” said Rajinikanth.

Haasan released a video message on Twitter objecting to Shah's remarks. “Do not make an inclusive India into an exclusive one. All will suffer because of such short-sighted folly,” he said.