'Hindi Theriyathu Poda' say Tamil film celebrities

Quite expectedly, the emotive issue of Hindi imposition which has often sprung up in the political lives of Tamil Nadu politicians seems to have raised its head again. Popular director Vetri Maran, in an interview had recounted how he was insulted at the Delhi airport because he did not know Hindi, almost a decade ago.

Keeping the topic alive, Chennai cinema notables from Yuvan Shankar Raja at one end to Udayanidhi Stalin, an actor and of late DMK politician, apart from Shanthanu Bhagyaraj and his TV celebrity wife were seen sporting a red colour T shirt which read: ' Hindi Theriyathu Poda' ( Buzz off, I don't know Hindi). Aishwarya Rajesh, of Telugu origin too joined in support sporting a similar T shirt. Another T shirt sported by a few others also read: 'I am a Tamizh pesum Indian'. ( I am a Tamil-speaking Indian).

It has been often speculated that Dravidian parties start getting softer on Hindu community and harder on Hindi language whenever elections approach. The rational DMK party, which has often made inflammatory and hurting comments on Hindu religion seems to have gone totally soft on the community. Opposition to Hindi, of course, has an emotional connect with the basic Tamil mindset, which has been contested by many pointing out that Tamil Nadu has the maximum Hindi learners from the official institution set up by Centre called Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha.