On International Mother Language Day, 3 southern CMs urge people to protect their languages

“Mother tongue is the identity of a race – Life! The race that gave life and kept life, our Tamil! Let’s protect our mother tongue, Tamil, which has both antiquity and the ability to adapt to the times! Let’s make the rise of Tamil as well![sic]” said MK Stalin on Twitter.

தாய்மொழிதான் ஓர் இனத்தின் அடையாளம் – உயிர்!
உயிர் கொடுத்து உயிர் காத்த இனம், நம் தமிழினம்!

தொன்மையும் காலத்துக்கேற்ப தகவமைத்துக் கொள்ளும் திறனும் ஒருங்கே பெற்ற நம் தாய்மொழியாம் தமிழைக் காப்போம்! தமிழின் உயர்வை நானிலமும் நவிலச் செய்வோம்!#InternationalMotherLanguageDay

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 21, 2023

Stalin has been vocal against the one-language policy of the Centre saying that his party, DMK, would resist attempts of the Centre in imposing Hindi as the only official language of the country.

“The BJP government which is ruling the Indian Union has made it a practice to impose Hindi — from administration to education — (and) they think they have come to power to impose Hindi.

“Like one nation, one religion, one election, one (entrance) test, one food, one culture, they are trying to destroy the culture of other national races with one language,” Stalin, also the DMK president, said on an earlier occasion.

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Cherish mother tongue

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai wanted people to cherish their mother tongue and emphasise linguistic and cultural diversity.

“Today is International Mother Language Day. The mother tongue is as great as the motherland. If speech reaches the brain, the mother tongue reaches the mind. Let’s cherish the mother tongue and emphasize linguistic and cultural diversity,” Bommai said in a tweet.

ಇಂದು ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಮಾತೃಭಾಷೆ ದಿನ. ಮಾತೃಭೂಮಿಯಂತೆ ಮಾತೃಭಾಷೆ ಸಹ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವಾದುದು. ಮಾತು ಮೆದುಳಿಗೆ ತಲುಪಿದರೇ, ಮಾತೃಭಾಷೆ ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ತಲುಪುತ್ತದೆ. ಮಾತೃಭಾಷೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಅಭಿಮಾನ ಹೊಂದಿ, ಭಾಷಿಕ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ ವೈವಿಧ್ಯತೆಗೆ ಒತ್ತು ನೀಡೋಣ. pic.twitter.com/PfsKdpUaCv

— Basavaraj S Bommai (Modi Ka Parivar) (@BSBommai) February 21, 2023

Also read: Hindi imposition, language protests in Karnataka then & now

‘Language is the foundation of people’s culture’

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the mother tongue is not only a means of communication but also the foundation of people’s culture urging them to celebrate the rich diversity of languages around the world.

A constant effort must be made to preserve the mother tongue and to renew and enrich it, he said, adding that centuries of cultural heritage and knowledge are preserved through this, in a Facebook post.

“Our thoughts, feelings and experiences become complete and comprehensive when we express them in our mother tongue,” he added.

Vijayan also recalled the fight of brave people to protect their mother tongue and urged everyone to honour their efforts on the day.

Also read: How typewriters, libraries helped Malayalam language evolve