"Tolerated Nitish Kumar's Hindi Push For INDIA Bloc": DMK Leader
NDTV
DMK's TR Baalu, when asked on the exit of Nitish Kumar from the INDIA bloc said it appeared that right from the beginning he had 'some issues' and there would not be any electoral 'damage' due to his move.
JD(U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said 'only Hindi should be spoken' and the party tolerated it for the sake of cordiality in INDIA alliance, DMK leader TR Baalu said here on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters after holding seat sharing talks with Congress leaders here, TR Baalu, when asked on the exit of Nitish Kumar from the INDIA bloc said it appeared that right from the beginning he had 'some issues' and there would not be any electoral 'damage' due to his move.
To a question about the 'Bihar Chief Minister's statement that nothing worked as per his plan in the INDIA bloc,' TR Baalu asked: "What did he plan? He did not spell out any plan, he said only Hindi should be spoken and only that (message) remains." Elaborating, TR Baalu, a DMK Lok Sabha member and leader of the Parliamentary party said, "He (Nitish Kumar) said everyone should talk in Hindi. We tolerated it. Even then, we kept quiet, as a compromise, for the sake of cordiality in the alliance. It was said that English must not be spoken. This is an ordinary matter (hinting at politics). It is okay." The DMK leader's reference made was to one of the INDIA bloc meetings in which Nitish Kumar reportedly stressed on use of Hindi.
