On the occasion of the anniversary day, June 7 of the President’s announcement in Parliament on classical language status for Tamil, DMK President Kalaignar said all Tamils and those with affinity for Tamil to think over whether this ADMK regime should mend its allergy for classical language just because he was instrumental in getting that announcement from the Centre, without thinking over the benefits to accrue from classical language status for our language.
In his epistle to cadre on June 7, Kalaignar recalled that it was on the same day in 2004 that the then President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament made the announcement, that “Tamil will be declared as a Classical Language”. That announcement immersed in the sea of happiness true Tamil scholars, Tamil enthusiasts and Tamils all over the world.
Following this, a resolution was moved in the DMK special conference held at Salem on August 21 and 22, 2004 moved by Prof M.P. Balasubramaniam and seconded by Srivilliputtur S. Amudhan, welcoming the President’s announcement and urging the Centre to soon issue the relevant Government Order.
Following this, the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh under the guidance of Tmt Sonia Gandhi on 12.10.2004 issued a notification to the declaration, Kalaignar said adding his rejoice over it. He said it would be fitting to remind the letter written by Tmt Sonia Gandhi, which was as follows:
November 8, 2005
Dear Thiru Karunanidhiji,
I have received your letter of 28th October. I am glad that all the formalities for declaring Tamil as a Classical Language have now been completed. This is an achievement for all the constituents of the UPA Government, but particular credit goes to you and your Party.
With Regards,
Yours sincerely,
Sonia Gandhi
Kalaignar said the demand for classical language status for Tamil was not raised only during the UPA rule but even before that the plea was sent to the Centre several times. There are numerous evidences in the history of the DMK for always raising voice for its objectives whether it was in power or in opposition. Following its efforts when it was in power for classical language status, the party took up unrelenting efforts even when it was an opposition party.
He said he, in the capacity of the President of the party, wrote a letter on 22.4.2003 to the then Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayee on the necessity of announcing Tamil as a classical language. In the same year, Union Ministers and MPs belonging to the DMK, PMK and MDMK met the Prime Minister and presented a petition urging the demand.
It was in culmination of all these efforts that the Centre’s announcement came in 2004. Following this announcement, the then Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh accepted his demand as a result of which the Central Institute of Classical Tamil functioning in Mysore was brought to Chennai. When the order for this and the Centre’s approval for rules and regulations for the Central Institute of Classical Tamil were getting delayed, Kalaignar said, “I still remember sending one of my secretaries brother K. Rajamanickam, IAS to Delhi for meeting Arjun Singh along with the then Union Minister T.R.Baalu and on the same day the Union Minister himself personally attending and getting the approval and orders of the Centre”.
When the inaugural function of the institute was held on 30.6.2008, I announced granting of Rs. One crore from my personal fund for instituting ‘Kalaignar Karunanidhi Classical Language Trust’ for granting an award and purse of Rs. 10 lakh every year for a best research scholar.
A library named ‘Paavendar Classical Tamil Research Library’ was set up at the at the place where the Assembly hall existed in the secretariat and brought there very old Tamil books and rare palm leaves.
As Chief Minister he visited the institute functioning in an important government complex on Kamarajar Salai in Chennai beach, frequently conducted meetings inviting Tamil scholars and worked out plans for further development of classical language. During the DMK rule arrangements were made for proving land and funds for constructing new office building for the institute. But what is the condition of the institute and classical language announcement after the change of regime in 2011?
‘Just because it was me who was instrumental in bringing ‘classical language’, this regime, particularly Chief Minister Jayalalitha is allergic to the very word classical language and they consider it a sin to even think about it. Even before assuming office they threw away the Pavendar Classical Tamil Research Library now we didn’t know where it was functioning. Similarly the condition of the institute is also not known. The award and purse of Rs.10 lakh every year to Tamil scholars has not be presented properly after the ADMK assumed power.
The building works for the institute also was not expedited. In a letter written to the Union Human Resources Development department, the vice-president of the institute Avvai Natarajan had said that exiting of experienced Tamil scholars and action to select again newly had created confusion. It is also said that though Natarajan was appointed by the Centre he has not been given any powers and all powers were vested with the director. At present the director of IIT, Chennai is director-in-charge of the institute. But the ADMK government in TN was least bothered about all these. It was doubtful whether the Chief Minister or any Minister had ever visited the institute and conducted any meeting in the last three years, Kalaignar said.
“In India, at present Tamil is the official language in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Tamil is one of the three official languages of Sri Lanka. Tamil finds place as one of the official languages in Singapore and Malaysia. In South Africa also Tamil has Constitutional recognition. But in ADMK regime in Tamil Nadu, is there recognition for classical Tamil?” Kalaignar asked.
He said classical language did not belong to Tamil scholars and the DMK but all who are interested in Tamil language have a stake in it. By making Tamil as a classical language, the benefits for Tamil Nadu are,
Tamil department exclusively would be created in all universities in India, if the University Gants Commission in India approves Tamil as a classical language all universities in the world will approve it, the prestige of Tamil and Tamils at the international level will increase, Tamil literatures will find place lexicons of languages of many countries, separate chairs for Tami language will be created in universities, just like the Centre providing Rs.40 crore directly and Rs.100 crore through government owned institutions for Sanskrit, there will be chances for getting assistance of development of Tamil language, Tamil literary works and modern writings will be translated to many international languages besides Indian languages and spread all over the world.
“It is distressing that the ADMK regime was not taking at least these benefits into account. On the occasion of the anniversary day, June 7 of the President’s announcement in Parliament on classical language status for Tamil, I want all Tamils and those with affinity for Tamil to think over whether this ADMK regime should mend its allergy for classical language just because I was instrumental in getting that announcement from the Centre, without thinking over the benefits to accrue from classical language status for our language”, Kalaignar said.
In his epistle to cadre on June 7, Kalaignar recalled that it was on the same day in 2004 that the then President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in his customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament made the announcement, that “Tamil will be declared as a Classical Language”. That announcement immersed in the sea of happiness true Tamil scholars, Tamil enthusiasts and Tamils all over the world.
Following this, a resolution was moved in the DMK special conference held at Salem on August 21 and 22, 2004 moved by Prof M.P. Balasubramaniam and seconded by Srivilliputtur S. Amudhan, welcoming the President’s announcement and urging the Centre to soon issue the relevant Government Order.
Following this, the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh under the guidance of Tmt Sonia Gandhi on 12.10.2004 issued a notification to the declaration, Kalaignar said adding his rejoice over it. He said it would be fitting to remind the letter written by Tmt Sonia Gandhi, which was as follows:
November 8, 2005
Dear Thiru Karunanidhiji,
I have received your letter of 28th October. I am glad that all the formalities for declaring Tamil as a Classical Language have now been completed. This is an achievement for all the constituents of the UPA Government, but particular credit goes to you and your Party.
With Regards,
Yours sincerely,
Sonia Gandhi
Kalaignar said the demand for classical language status for Tamil was not raised only during the UPA rule but even before that the plea was sent to the Centre several times. There are numerous evidences in the history of the DMK for always raising voice for its objectives whether it was in power or in opposition. Following its efforts when it was in power for classical language status, the party took up unrelenting efforts even when it was an opposition party.
He said he, in the capacity of the President of the party, wrote a letter on 22.4.2003 to the then Prime Minister A.B.Vajpayee on the necessity of announcing Tamil as a classical language. In the same year, Union Ministers and MPs belonging to the DMK, PMK and MDMK met the Prime Minister and presented a petition urging the demand.
It was in culmination of all these efforts that the Centre’s announcement came in 2004. Following this announcement, the then Union Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh accepted his demand as a result of which the Central Institute of Classical Tamil functioning in Mysore was brought to Chennai. When the order for this and the Centre’s approval for rules and regulations for the Central Institute of Classical Tamil were getting delayed, Kalaignar said, “I still remember sending one of my secretaries brother K. Rajamanickam, IAS to Delhi for meeting Arjun Singh along with the then Union Minister T.R.Baalu and on the same day the Union Minister himself personally attending and getting the approval and orders of the Centre”.
When the inaugural function of the institute was held on 30.6.2008, I announced granting of Rs. One crore from my personal fund for instituting ‘Kalaignar Karunanidhi Classical Language Trust’ for granting an award and purse of Rs. 10 lakh every year for a best research scholar.
A library named ‘Paavendar Classical Tamil Research Library’ was set up at the at the place where the Assembly hall existed in the secretariat and brought there very old Tamil books and rare palm leaves.
As Chief Minister he visited the institute functioning in an important government complex on Kamarajar Salai in Chennai beach, frequently conducted meetings inviting Tamil scholars and worked out plans for further development of classical language. During the DMK rule arrangements were made for proving land and funds for constructing new office building for the institute. But what is the condition of the institute and classical language announcement after the change of regime in 2011?
‘Just because it was me who was instrumental in bringing ‘classical language’, this regime, particularly Chief Minister Jayalalitha is allergic to the very word classical language and they consider it a sin to even think about it. Even before assuming office they threw away the Pavendar Classical Tamil Research Library now we didn’t know where it was functioning. Similarly the condition of the institute is also not known. The award and purse of Rs.10 lakh every year to Tamil scholars has not be presented properly after the ADMK assumed power.
The building works for the institute also was not expedited. In a letter written to the Union Human Resources Development department, the vice-president of the institute Avvai Natarajan had said that exiting of experienced Tamil scholars and action to select again newly had created confusion. It is also said that though Natarajan was appointed by the Centre he has not been given any powers and all powers were vested with the director. At present the director of IIT, Chennai is director-in-charge of the institute. But the ADMK government in TN was least bothered about all these. It was doubtful whether the Chief Minister or any Minister had ever visited the institute and conducted any meeting in the last three years, Kalaignar said.
“In India, at present Tamil is the official language in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Tamil is one of the three official languages of Sri Lanka. Tamil finds place as one of the official languages in Singapore and Malaysia. In South Africa also Tamil has Constitutional recognition. But in ADMK regime in Tamil Nadu, is there recognition for classical Tamil?” Kalaignar asked.
He said classical language did not belong to Tamil scholars and the DMK but all who are interested in Tamil language have a stake in it. By making Tamil as a classical language, the benefits for Tamil Nadu are,
Tamil department exclusively would be created in all universities in India, if the University Gants Commission in India approves Tamil as a classical language all universities in the world will approve it, the prestige of Tamil and Tamils at the international level will increase, Tamil literatures will find place lexicons of languages of many countries, separate chairs for Tami language will be created in universities, just like the Centre providing Rs.40 crore directly and Rs.100 crore through government owned institutions for Sanskrit, there will be chances for getting assistance of development of Tamil language, Tamil literary works and modern writings will be translated to many international languages besides Indian languages and spread all over the world.
“It is distressing that the ADMK regime was not taking at least these benefits into account. On the occasion of the anniversary day, June 7 of the President’s announcement in Parliament on classical language status for Tamil, I want all Tamils and those with affinity for Tamil to think over whether this ADMK regime should mend its allergy for classical language just because I was instrumental in getting that announcement from the Centre, without thinking over the benefits to accrue from classical language status for our language”, Kalaignar said.
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