Need to preserve Tamil legacy, erase language differences: PM

New Delhi, November 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for erasure of language-based differences and said it was the responsibility of every Indian to preserve and enrich the legacy of the oldest global language, Tamil.

Inaugurates airport, hydro power station in arunachal

Accusing successive Congress governments at the Centre of neglecting the Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said it was Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s BJP-led government which first gave attention to the region and created a separate ministry for it. He was addressing a gathering at Arunachal Pradesh’s Itanagar after inaugurating the Donyi Polo Airport. He also inaugurated the 600MW Kameng hydro power station.

Addressing a monthlong Kashi Tamil Sangamam, a unique event the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh is organising in Varanasi to introduce the people of the holy city to the Dravidian culture, music and cuisine, the Prime Minister said the confluence of Kashi and Tamil Nadu was akin to that of the Ganga and Yamuna.

“India is home to the oldest language in the world, Tamil. The popularity of Tamil has been timeless. When people across the world realise that the oldest global language is spoken in India, they are spellbound. But we lag in celebrating this language. It is the responsibility of all 130 crore Indians to preserve and enrich the legacy of Tamil. If we forget it, we will harm the country,” the PM said.

He called upon everyone to “end lingual differences and forge emotional unity”.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister referred to the importance of ‘sangamams’ (confluences) in the country, be it the confluence of rivers, ideology, science or knowledge.

Over 2,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu will be visiting Kashi during the monthlong celebrations.