India Today : Sep 18, 2019, 02:51 PM
Superstar Rajinikanth has joined the chorus against Home Minister Amit Shah's recent push for Hindi as a unifying language for the country. After Kamal Haasan, now Rajinikanth has said that Tamil Nadu and other southern Indian states would never accept Hindi imposition.Speaking to reporters outside Chennai airport, Rajinikanth said, "Hindi language should not be imposed. Not just Tamil Nadu, none of the southern states will accept Hindi imposition."He added, "Not just Hindi, no language should be imposed on the country."Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Rajinikanth said, "If there is a common language it is good for the unity and progress of the country. Unfortunately it can't be implemented in our country. However, forcing a language is not acceptable. Southern states will not accept Hindi imposition. Even some northern states will not accept Hindi Imposition".Earlier, Makkal Needhi Maiam leader and eminent actor Kamal Haasan warned of an "exponentially bigger battle" than the 2017 pro-Jallikattu protests against "imposition" of the language.Opposing any attempt to "impose" Hindi, Haasan said that unity in diversity was the promise made to the people when India became a republic."Now, no Shah, Sultan or Samrat must renege on that promise. We respect all languages, but our mother language will always be Tamil," he said in a video.Haasan, referring to the 2017 pro-jallikattu protests here, said "it was just a protest, the battle for our language will be exponentially bigger than that."India or Tamil Nadu "does not need or deserve such a battle."DMK has announced demonstrations across Tamil Nadu on September 20 against Home Minister Amit Shah's pitch for Hindi as a common language.In BJP-ruled Karnataka, where Congress veteran Siddaramaiah and the JD(S) have come out strongly against Shah's statements, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa asserted that Kannada is the principal language in the state and its importance would never be compromised.