DMK leader and Lok Sabha member Pudukottai MM Abdullah responded in Tamil to a letter written in Hindi by Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu. He said the matter sparked discussion when Abdullah shared copies of the two letters on social media and expressed his discomfort, adding that he nonetheless had to remind officials multiple times. , letters are sent in Hindi only.
Bitou’s letter was in response to questions raised by MP Abdullah about food quality and cleanliness on trains. The DMK MP said he repeatedly called officials in the office of the Union Minister of State for Railways and requested that the letter be sent in English as he did not understand Hindi. Still, letters were sent only in Hindi.
Abdullah said: “The letters sent by the office of the Minister of State for Railways are always in Hindi. I called the officials in their office and told them that I do not understand Hindi and please send the letter in English, but the letter was still in Hindi only. This time I sent the reply in a way that the minister can understand and act accordingly,” he wrote in Tamil and requested that any future correspondence with him be in English only to facilitate communication. There shouldn’t be any obstacles on it.
The DMK reiterated its protest over the matter, accusing it of imposing Hindi. Notably, earlier in 2022, the DMK had also accused the Center of imposing Hindi in other parts of the country. The controversy deepened after Union Home Minister Amit Shah issued a statement on the issue, in which he said Hindi should replace English and not local languages. DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin reacted strongly to this and said that any attempt to impose Hindi will affect the unity and integrity of the country.
