From 2014–15 to 2024–25, the first two terms of Prime Minister Modi-led BJP government, a total of Rs. 2,532.59 crore has been allocated for the promotion of the Sanskrit language. In contrast, only Rs. 147.56 crore has been collectively allocated for five classical languages — Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia. Of this, Tamil has received an average of just Rs. 13 crore per year. This is 22 times less than the funding allocated for Sanskrit, and it represents a grave injustice done to the Tamil language and the Tamil people.
From the very first day the BJP assumed power, it has consistently functioned with such a stepmotherly attitude. Though Tamil Nadu has routinely registered its fierce opposition and condemnation, the Modi government has chosen to completely disregard it — which is a serious act of tyranny.
Spending thousands of crores to revive the rarely used Sanskrit language is an effort to:
* Construct India as a Hindu state
* Create a common language conducive to trade within a globalized economy
* Use language as a tool to propagate Hindutva
* And turn India into a nation meant only for a particular section of people
Such initiatives will not contribute in the slightest to the growth or progress of the country.
How can one justify the promotion of a language spoken by fewer than ten thousand people, while the mother tongues of nationalities are being destroyed?
India is a union of diverse nationalities. The rulers of this country must never forget that. Just because the people are being patient and tolerant does not mean they accept everything. Forcing a single religion, a single language, a single nation, a single ration card — one by one — under the guise of unity, will never survive for long.
The Indian Union government, which showers excessive funding on the northern language Sanskrit, gives no importance at all to the Tamil language — which is more than 50,000 years old. Why is the Indian Union government punishing Tamil Nadu in this way — a state that contributes massively to country’s tax revenues?
Even Prime Minister Modi has said, “We can understand the antiquity of Indian languages from Tamil.”
He has also said, “Tamil being the oldest language in the world is a pride for India.”
But what concrete action has the Indian government taken so far to give Tamil language any kind of priority or recognition?
The Supreme Court has advised the Indian Union government to take steps to declare all 22 languages listed in the Constitutional Schedule as national languages. But acting in complete contradiction to this, the Indian Union government is trying to promote a single language, thereby committing a grave massacre of democracy.
There are no separatists in this country. The rulers of the Indian Union Government are the various facets of the REAL SEPARATISTS, who try to divide the country by promoting one language while attempting to destroy others. India will remain one only when many languages and ethnicities continue to thrive.
If there is only one language, many nations will emerge. When will those in power understand this historical truth?
Therefore, I strongly urge:
* That this attempt to destroy India’s linguistic diversity by promoting one language while eliminating others is against the federal spirit of the country.
* The government must allocate equal funding to all classical languages.
* And the previously under-allocated funds for Tamil should be added and properly distributed going forward.
– Seeman | Chief Coordinator | NTK
