'Elections are 8 months away': BJP leader on Kanimozhi's 'Hindi imposition' row

In an apparent dig at DMK MP Kanimozhi after her allegation that a CISF officer has asked her if she was an Indian as she did not know Hindi, senior BJP leader B L Santhosh on Sunday alleged that the southern party's charge is motivated with electoral benefits in mind. Tamil Nadu is tipped to go the polls in the first half of next year with the BJP looking to make an entry into the southern state.

New Delhi:After DMK leader Kanimozhi cried of Hindi imposition while narrating an incident in an airport where she was allegedly asked about her citizenship, the BJP took a sharp jibe at her, alleging that the southern party's charge is motivated with electoral benefits in mind.

The saffron party fielded its tallest southern leader and General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh who took to Twitter to counter Kanimozhi's charge, saying "Assembly elections are 8 months away ... Campaign starts."

Tamil Nadu is tipped to go the polls in the first half of next year with the BJP looking to make an entry into the southern state.

This whole row erupted after the DMK leader said that a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer allegedly asked her if she was an Indian after the MP asked to be communicated in either Tamil or English, citing her inability to talk in Hindi. According to party sources, the incident occurred in Chennai when the MP was at the airport to board a Delhi-bound flight on Sunday afternoon.

"I would like to know from when being an Indian is equal to knowing Hindi," she said, sparking off a political row with other southern leaders like Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, joining the bandwagon to ‘condemn' the act.

While the CISF, which is entrusted with the security in most Indian airports, reached out to her seeking details, BJP's Santhosh didn't spare the opportunity, saying: "CISF has asked her to give details. Let her give the details. Action will follow. Let's discuss about arrogance at that time."

Congress MP Manickam Tagore, who is also from Tamil Nadu, accused Santhosh of "arrogance".

"This arrogance will be costlier Santosh Avere! When @CISFHQrs officers does a mistake & when the force is ready to acknowledge the mistake by a person why you make it as BJP Vs DMK (sic), when someone asks you in Bengaluru airport whether you're an Indian? What you will do?" Tagore tweeted.

BJP's rivals, especially those in southern India, have often accused the party of working to impose Hindi on the region. The BJP has denied the charge and insisted that it stands for encouraging all Indian languages.

Kanimozhi had also tweeted, "I would like to know from when being Indian is equal to knowing Hindi." Soon after, the CISF sought details from her."

"Warm greetings from @CISFHQrs. We sincerely acknowledge your unpleasant experience. Kindly DM journey details; name of airport, location, date, and time of the incident for appropriate action in the matter," tweeted the force whose task primarily is to guard civil airports in the country and vital infrastructure in the aerospace and nuclear domain.

Soon, the CISF said it has "ordered an enquiry into the matter. It is not the policy of CISF to insist upon any particular language."

With inputs from agencies