File picture of DMK chief M Karunanidhi (PTI)
DMK Chief Karunanidhi slammed the Centre on Sunday evening for reportedly sending a circular to schools asking them to celebrate Teacher's Days as 'Guru Utsav'.
Speaking during a marriage ceremony in Chennai, the former Tamil Nadu chief minister said, "For years we've celebrated it as Teacher's Day. The Centre has now changed it to 'Guru Utsav' through a government order. This is how they first lay their hands on our language. After defeating it they plot little by little to defeat those belonging to the language, those who reached great heights through language and those who hurt themselves for the language. We do not need any other example for this."
He also told the gathering, "You should understand that in Tamil Nadu, Aryan ways have started work little by little to destroy Tamil ways".
In July, the DMK chief had also opposed a circular by the Central Board of Secondary Education asking schools to celebrate Sanskrit Week.
Around the same time, there was a massive row over a central government order asking its officers to use Hindi in all official communication and posts on social media. The order was slammed as "offensive and insensitive" by all Tamil Nadu parties, including the BJP's allies MDMK and PMK, and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
The outrage forced the government to clarify that its order was only for Hindi speaking states.
In the 60s, Tamil Nadu saw violent protests against a move to make Hindi the country's sole official language. The issue remains an emotive one in the state.