A R Rahman Pushes Back on Amit Shah’s Hindi Comment

CHENNAI (IANS) – Oscar-winner and one of India’s top music directors A R Rahman has tweeted a poster highlighting the significance of Tamil and what the language means to Tamilians.

The tweet, which was posted late on April 8, is being seen as a strong response to Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement on Hindi being an alternative to English.

Amit Shah had remarked that people from different states should speak in Hindi with each other and that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English.

The statement has sparked outrage in several states of the country, including Tamil Nadu.

Rahman tweeted the poster of a woman holding a staff with the Tamil letter ‘Lazha’ on it. Interestingly, the letter is unique to Tamil language. The poster, titled ‘Tamizhanangu’, also had lines from a poem by revolutionary poet Bharathidasan. The line, “Inba Thamizh Engal Urimai Sempayirukku Vaer” loosely means “Delightful Tamil is the root of the staple crop of our rights”.

Thousands have liked the tweet that Rahman has put out with several other top writers, actors, journalists retweeting the tweet to voice their support for Rahman’s statement.
The Home Minister’s remarks have not gone down well with people in the southern states of the country.

Several people including writers, actors, directors, and film celebrities have spoken up against Hindi’s imposition.