Falling at Bharatmata’s feet does not make one anti-Tamil: V-P Radhakrishnan

Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) Dec 30 (PTI) Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said on Tuesday that if someone prostrates at the feet of Bharatmata, it does not make him or her ‘anti-Tamil’.

He was speaking at the valedictory function of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 here, emphasising the unbreakable cultural bond between Kashi and Tamil Nadu while urging national unity under the spirit of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat".

"We daily prostrate at the sacred feet of this holy Bharat Mata and say, ‘may this nation prosper’. Does that make us anti-Tamil? No. If the nation is one eye, the other eye is our mother tongue Tamil, who can separate them?" asked Radhakrishnan.

He said, Tamil warriors from Pandiya Nadu were aiding Kashi temple restoration against Mughal destruction.

He also shared a recent anecdote about Nattukottai Chettiars reclaiming a Rs 300 crore encroachment on their Kashi rest house in 48 hours with state support, to illustrate how the Prime Minister is with Tamilians.

"Our Nattukottai Chettiars met the PM, who asked them to meet the CM. The CM took all details. When they showed all the documents, officials fully agreed that it belonged to them. In just 48 hours, the land was reclaimed… today it stands as a grand multi-storey rest house," said the VP.

The fourth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS 4.0), organised by the Ministry of Education from December 2-15 in Varanasi with a symbolic conclusion in Rameswaram, focused on the theme "Tamil Karkalam" (Let us Learn Tamil) to promote linguistic exchange and shared heritage between North and South India.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan said Tamil civilisation is integral to India’s broader civilisational foundation, explicitly stating that it transcends regional boundaries.

"Tamil civilisation is not regional. It is a foundation for the Bharat civilisation. This is the theme of Kashi Tamil Sangam 4.0, as this deepens India’s civilisation learning. Tamil is not limited to Tamil Nadu, but is open to all in India," said the Union minister.

Delivering his speech fully in Tamil, the state’s Governor R N Ravi said this year, thousands of students across India are learning Tamil.

"And 300 Hindi-speaking students from Kashi, from Uttar Pradesh, have come to learn Tamil here. They know that Tamil is an ancient language, a powerful language, a language of immense beauty," added the Governor.

Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran said Tamilians must be grateful to have a prime minister like Modi, who insists that students in Uttar Pradesh should learn Tamil.

According to him, the structure of Tamil, its grammar and its culture have ensured the survival of the language for over 5,000 years.

"Now, Prime Minister Modi continues to cherish and celebrate our Tamil. He says that Tamil can be taught in schools in Uttar Pradesh," added Nagendran.

The other dignitaries who spoke during the event include Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan and IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti.

The event drew scholars, students and cultural practitioners, building on prior editions that engaged over 5,500 participants from Tamil Nadu. PTI JR ADB