TN-HINDI-STALIN

DMK chief Stalin denies surrendering to Centre on Hindi issue
Chennai, Sep 19 (PTI) DMK chief M K Stalin on Thursday
pooh-poohed claims that his party surrendered to the Centre by
putting off a protest against "Hindi imposition," saying it
cannot be cowed down and remained firm on its stand.
A day after putting off the September 20 protest, Stalin
said the decision was taken after considering state Governor
Banwarilal Purohit's assurance that Hindi will not be imposed
and Home Minister Amit Shah's clarification that he has been
wrongly understood on the issue.
Addressing a memorial meet here in honour of DMK veteran
S A M Hussein, he said sections of media had projected as if
the party had surrendered to the Centre.
He said the Governor's assurance to him during a meeting
at Raj Bhavan was reflected in Shah's explanation as well.
Only after taking into account the Minister's response,
"we believed and accepted it," he said.
The decision to postpone the protest was, however, not a
"wholehearted move," but taken in the backdrop of the
reassurance of Shah and Purohit, he underscored.
Stalin said the demonstration was only "postponed
temporarily," and he had made it categorical that his party
will never waver from opposing Hindi imposition.
While this was the position, sections of media, however,
"deliberately projected as if we surrendered (to the Centre)
and refrained from protest out of fear," he said.
Using a Tamil saying, he said his party was a seasoned
outfit that has withstood several trials and tribulations and
cannot be cowed down by anyone and would never be rattled.
Claiming victory after Shah clarified he never pitched
for imposition of Hindi, Stalin had on Wednesday postponed the
protest demonstrations on September 20 over the issue.
"We consider his (Shah's) clarification as a big victory
for the DMK following the party's announcement of protest
demonstrations," he had said. PTI VGN
VS VS

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)