‘Not forcing people to learn Hindi but…’: TN BJP chief Annamalai on state receiving ‘fewer’ investments

In the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, 631 MoUs were signed and an investment commitment of Rs 6,64,180 crore along with 26,90,657 jobs were promised by the investors.

On actor Vijay Sethupathi’s comment that people of Tamil Nadu are just asking not to impose Hindi and not against learning the language, Annamalai said, “Vijay Sethupathi has every right to make whatever comment he wishes to and act in whichever language he wants to. But one has to understand that such comments garner all types of comments.”

Sethupathi’s comment, made during a movie promotion, had created quite a flutter on social media.

Annamalai added, “Many north Indian companies are recruiting across the country and many native Hindi speakers prefer Bengaluru (in Karnataka) over Tamil Nadu because here, they need to communicate in Tamil. We are getting fewer investments because of this.”

“As far as I am concerned, people who wish to learn Hindi can learn and the rest can ignore. What we propose is a three-language policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi never forced anybody to learn Hindi. One definitely needs to learn Tamil, English and a third language is optional — it could be anything. People near Hosur learn Kannada, in Coimbatore people learn Malayalam and many people here learn Telugu. We cannot stop them from studying that. Learn whatever you wish, this is BJP’s stand,” Annamalai said.

The BJP leader added knowing just two languages will not help anyone to go places. He said people need to learn three or four languages and if people do not like Hindi, they can learn French or German and work in foreign countries.

Responding to a question about why their party is silent on the relationship with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Annamalai said, “The BJP is not hesitant to air its views on the AIADMK but all decisions regarding alliances are taken by the parliamentary board of the BJP.”

Annamalai’s comment came days after AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said his party will not join hands with the saffron party for the upcoming Lok Sabha and 2026 Assembly polls.

“The central party leadership is yet to start talking about the elections. I have been saying whatever I could as the state president. Whoever accepts Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate is with us. The 2024 election is very important for us,” Annamalai said.

The BJP leader said the ground situation has completely changed in the state and added that religion and caste are undeniable factors in Tamil Nadu. “However, if someone thinks that traditional voting patterns will continue, the same won’t happen because unlike the previous Lok Sabha elections, when who would emerge victorious was a major concern, this time everyone knows that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third time and hence, the voting pattern will differ.”