Hindi words removed from entrance arch at Tiruchi Railway Divisional Office following political furore

Authorities of the Tiruchi Railway Division removed the words “Kartavya Dwar” (Gateway of Duty) written on the newly built entrance arch at the office of the Divisional Railway Manager on Wednesday evening, following a political row over the use of the Hindi term.

The words written in Hindi, Tamil and English scripts on the arch were fully removed from the arch built in front of the office situated close to the main entrance to Tiruchi Railway Junction. Divisional railway officials said the words were removed “respecting the sentiments” of the people.

Prior to this, a group of DMK cadre and office bearers led by Tiruchi Mayor M. Anbazhagan, smeared with black paint the words “Kartavya Dwar,” written in English, on a stone tablet installed near the arch to mark its commissioning.

“Kartavya Dwar” written in Hindi, Tamil, and English on the entrance of the Railway Divisional Manager office in Tiruchi on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
MOORTHY M

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had taken strong objection to the practice of writing Hindi names even in Tamil and English, instead of using appropriate terms in the respective languages.

In a post on X, cited the words “Kartavya Dwar” written on the arch at the office of the Divisional Railway Manager in Tiruchi, and described the practice as “one language – three scripts” and said it was a form of Hindi imposition.

He also accused the BJP government at the Centre of imposing the Hindi name Bhavishya Nidhi Bhavan at the offices of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), writing Sanskrit names for the three criminal laws such as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), renaming the Union Ministry of Water Resources as the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, and renaming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–G RAM G).

Mr. Stalin, in his post, also shared a cartoon purportedly referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “naming everything in Hindi and Sanskrit” and “wearing a Tamil mask” only during his visits to Tamil Nadu.

“Arrogance and excess keep increasing. Those who are testing the self-respect of Tamils must be taught a proper lesson. The attempt to impose Hindi even in Tamil and English names must be stopped and proper Tamil equivalent names must be used immediately. Otherwise, the Union BJP government will have to face the anger of the Tamil people,” he added.

DMK Rajya Sabha MP Tiruchi N.Siva and Tiruchi Member of Parliament Durai Vaiko also condemned the use of the Hindi nomenclature. In an email to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mr.Siva said it affected the linguistic and cultural heritage and offended the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu. Mr.Durai Vaiko called for writing the name of the office in Tamil on the arch.