Chennai: The main opposition DMK MLAs staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu Assembly Monday, opposing the government's reply over postal exams being held in Hindi and English.
The principal opposition's allies Congress and Indian Union Muslim League also followed suit, opposing the Centre's decision to hold postal exams in only the two languages.
The Centre had Sunday held postal exams in Hindi and English alone, which was opposed by political parties.
The issue rocked the assembly soon after question hour when DMK member Thangam Thennarasu raised the issue and wanted a special discussion to protect the state's rights.
He alleged that the Centre's act of amending the rules to hold the exam only in Hindi and English was to avoid those from southern states from joining central government services.
Also, this was tantamount to "snatching away" the rights of the Tamil people and contravened upholding the national integrity, he claimed.
Minister for Personnel and Administrative Reforms D Jayakumar said the Centre's decision to hold the exam in two languages pertained to the national level.
He asserted that the Tamil Nadu government was following only the two language formula and had never accepted the "imposition" of Hindi.
Stating that both the ruling and main opposition parties are on the same boat in the issue, he wanted the DMK MPs also to take up the issue in Parliament.
"Let us establish our rights" by raising the matter in Parliament, he said and assured that the Tamil Nadu government would take efforts on the issue.
DMK Deputy Leader Duraimurugan said "imposition" of Hindi was the issue and demanded that a resolution be adopted in the House to urge the Centre to drop it.
Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said the government could take a stand based on the Centre's decision on this matter after it was raised in Parliament.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami said a reply can be obtained from the Centre on it only when the matter was raised in Parliament.
Citing DMK's accusations in the past, asking what his party (AIADMK) had done despite having 37 MPs in the Lok Sabha, he said they were now posing the same question.
People elected them to Parliament only to resolve issues related to the Centre by raising them there, he said.
Asserting that his party too had "100 per cent" anti-Hindi opposition sentiments like DMK, the Chief Minister said "let your party MPs raise the issue in Parliament.
We will also raise our voice continuously," he said.
However, Palaniswami said the main opposition party had come to the House with an idea to stage a walk out.
Terming the issue as emotive, Dutraimurugan asserted that the opposition to Hindi imposition was ingrained in them.
Opposing the Chief Minister's remark that they had come to House with an intention to walk out, he said it trivialised their sentiments and led a walk out of party MLAs.
Opposing the Centre's decision to hold the exam in English and Hindi, DMK's allies, Congress and the lone Indian Union Muslim League member walked out of the House.
Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam said there was no need for hurry on the issue as the Madras High Court's Madurai Bench had granted an injunction against release of results by the Centre.
Jayakumar accused the DMK of staging a walkout for political mileage.
In the Rajya Sabha today, the AIADMK and DMK asked the central government to cancel the postal department examination held on Sunday for postmen and other posts and hold it afresh with questions in Tamil language also.
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