AIR told not to impose Hindi on radio stations

Chennai, Oct 27 (IANS) Union information and broadcasting ministry has asked All India Radio (AIR) officials to stop the four hours of Hindi commercial programme in the regional stations, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit said on Monday.

In a statement issued here, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the ministry ordered AIR officials to stop such programmes on a request from Tamil Nadu BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan.

According to Soundararajan, the party will not impose Hindi on anybody. The BJP is of the view that people should accept a language on their own.

The AIR’s decision to air four hours of commercial programmes in Hindi daily from its local stations – Nagercoil, Dharmapuri and Puducherry – is being opposed to by political parties in the state.

PMK leader S. Ramadoss termed the move as imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry through backdoor.