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Bharatiya Janata Party condemned and demanded an immediate public apology from Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was reported to have described Sanskrit as a "dead language" during a book release on November 21.
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party's spokesperson A N S Prasad called the Deputy CM's remarks "deeply derogatory, constitutionally insensitive, and an affront to India's civilisational heritage." In a strongly worded statement, BJP spokesperson Prasad said that the deputy CM should "stop doing language and religious politics and instead focus on people-welfare governance." He added that leaders holding high constitutional offices are expected to maintain "dignity, balance, and respect in public discourse." According to Prasad, Udhyanidhi Stalin's comments undermine a language that has not only "shaped Hindu religious traditions but also continues to be an active medium of scholarship." He said, "Sanskrit, one of the eight languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, is far from dead. It thrives in hundreds of universities, pathshalas, and research institutions across India and abroad." He said that "Sanskrit remains central to liturgy and spiritual practices for millions, forming an inseparable part of India's cultural and religious life." He said that it is "equally regrettable, that the portrayal of legitimate policy initiatives of the Government of India--such as the promotion of Sanskrit, Hindi, and other Indian languages under the three-language formula and the National Education Policy 2020--is an alleged "imposition" on Tamil. " He said that such characterisation creates an unnecessary "binary" between Tamil and other classical languages of India, whereas the Union Government's stated policy has always been to" preserve and promote" all classical languages, including both Tamil and Sanskrit. He said that "Deputy Chief Minister should reflect upon the larger message that such remarks send to the youth of Tamil Nadu, whom he is duty-bound to inspire. Young minds must be taught to take pride in Tamil without being misled into believing that pride in Tamil requires hostility toward other Indian languages or toward Sanatan Dharma, which remains the lived faith of the overwhelming majority of our citizens." Invoking constitutional provisions, Prasad said that while freedom of expression is guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a), public representatives must be mindful of Article 19(2), which permits reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order and morality. The BJP spokesperson ultimately demanded that Udhayanidhi Stalin withdraw his remarks and issue an "unconditional public apology", stating that the "comments had hurt millions of people who hold Sanskrit and Sanatan Dharma in high regard". (ANI)
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