Following reports that milestones on National Highways in Krishnagiri and Vellore are putting Hindu scripts, DMK working president MK Stalin opposed the move and threatened to start a protest if the Centre continued to promote Hindi.
The New Indian Express on Tuesday had reported that English names on milestones on Chittoor- Vellore National Highway were replaced with Hindi. Similarly, the place names on milestones on NH 77, which connects Krishnagiri with Tindivanam through Thiruvannamalai and Gingee, have been changed to Hindi.
In a statement, MK Stalin said, " It showed BJP’s disrespect to the sentiments of Tamils. This is bringing Hindi hegemony through the backdoor in Tamil Nadu.”
He wants the Centre to treat all the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution with equality and also recalled former PM Jawaharlal Nehru’ s assurance that English will be spoken till non-Hindi speaking people wanted it, reported TNIE.
He added that the BJP-led central government has been devoting "great attention," in "thrusting" Sanskrit and Hindi.
MDMK leader Vaiko also spoke against the Centre’s move. He said that some people are trying to impose Hindi again. They are projecting that only Hindi-leaning people have job prospects.
PMK leader S Ramadoss warned that they will also start a protest if the Centre does not stop its attempt to replace English signage with Hindi.