DMK, TN language rights war raging like whirlwind in Maharashtra: CM Stalin
Chennai, Jul 5 (PTI): The war against the imposition of Hindi being waged by the DMK and people of Tamil Nadu has transcended borders and is now raging like a whirlwind in Maharashtra, Chief Minister M K Stalin claimed on Saturday.
The BJP, which was conducting itself "illegally and anarchically" by saying that it would allocate funds only if Hindi was taught as a third language in Tamil Nadu schools, has retreated for the second time, fearing a popular uprising in Maharashtra, where it was ruling, he said.
"The upsurge and speeches of the victory celebration rally held in Mumbai today under the leadership of brother #UddhavThackeray against the imposition of Hindi are very encouraging," Stalin, who is the president of DMK, said in a lengthy post on the social media platform X.
Earlier in the day, the estranged Thackeray cousins shared a public stage after two decades at a victory rally in Mumbai to celebrate the withdrawal of two government resolutions seeking to introduce Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in state schools.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray said he and his cousin Raj Thackeray have "come together to stay together."
MNS chief Raj Thackeray said the three-language formula imposed by the state government was a precursor to its plan to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra as he shared the political stage with his cousin Uddhav after almost 20 years.
"I know very well that the Union Government, which has made the development of Hindi and Sanskrit its full-time priority, will have no answer to the questions raised by Raj Thackeray on what was the third language taught in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan or why Hindi-speaking states are backward, and why Hindi is being thrust on the people of progressing states that do not speak Hindi," Stalin said in the post.
He sought to know if the Centre would change its decision of revenge on Tamil Nadu for saying that it would release Rs 2,152 crore from the Integrated Education Scheme (Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) only if the state accepted the new education policy that imposed Hindi and Sanskrit in the name of the three-language policy.
"Will it immediately release the funds that are legally required for the education of Tamil Nadu school children? The struggle waged by the people of Tamil Nadu against Hindi imposition is not only emotional but also intellectual and logical to protect India's plural culture and not out of hatred," the Chief Minister asserted.
He hoped that the 'uprising' in Maharashtra would open the eyes of those who were 'parroting' the words that one would get a job if one studies Hindi.
He further said, "We will not allow deceit in the allocation of funds to Tamil Nadu nor arrogance of refusing to recognise Keezhadi civilisation, to continue. The BJP must find a remedy for the betrayal that it is committing against Tamils and Tamil Nadu. Otherwise, Tamil Nadu will teach them and their new allies an unforgettable lesson once again," Stalin said and appealed to the people to unite and fight against injustice.
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Karnataka tanks hold strong water storage: Minister Boseraju
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister N S Boseraju on Tuesday said that minor irrigation tanks across the state are holding good water storage levels, with the 3,788 tanks under the department’s jurisdiction providing life-sustaining water to a large agricultural command area of approximately 4,45,009 hectares.
In a statement, the Minister for Minor Irrigation, Boseraju, said that according to the latest data released by the department, a vast majority of the 3,788 minor irrigation tanks in the state have maintained good water levels.
Detailing the storage status, the report said that even in peak summer, 165 tanks are full.
Additionally, 1,355 tanks have retained more than 51 per cent capacity, 1,143 tanks have water levels up to 50 per cent, and 959 tanks are at roughly 30 per cent storage capacity.
District-wise, Davanagere leads the state in water storage, with 27 tanks remaining full even during summer. Chikkamagaluru follows closely with 46 full tanks, indicating strong water retention.
Other top-performing districts include Hassan, Tumakuru, and Kolar.
Boseraju, who also holds the portfolio of Science and Technology, said 1,184 tanks are being actively filled through 145 tank-filling lift irrigation projects under the Minor Irrigation Department.
He attributed the strong water retention to good monsoon rainfall and effective water management strategies of the government.
“It is encouraging to see such a substantial volume of water stored across our minor irrigation tanks by the end of March, remaining largely intact even as summer progresses. The fact that 1,355 tanks are nearly full and 165 tanks are brimming is a testament to the success of our tank-filling programmes and rejuvenation initiatives,” he said.
“By ensuring a continuous flow of water to these tanks through lift irrigation projects across departments, as well as supplying treated and surface water to the Bayaluseeme districts, we have taken proactive measures to prevent them from drying out during the summer,” the minister said.
According to him, these data points confirm that efforts to build a water-secure Karnataka are yielding strong results at the grassroots level.
“This water wealth preserved in our tanks will bring direct benefits to lakhs of farmers across the 4,45,009-hectare command area,” he added.
