AIR's FM channel replaces Tamil night show with Hindi, gets earful
TIRUCHY: A change in All India Radio (AIR)'s Tiruchy FM 102.1 programme replacing its Tamil night broadcast with Hindi content since April has drawn criticism from listeners and political leaders more recently Tiruchy MP Durai Vaiko alike who term it a back-door imposition of Hindi in a predominantly Tamil-speaking region.
Since April 9, AIR Tiruchy has been broadcasting in Tamil from 5.50 am to 11 pm, and switching to Hindi from 11 pm to 5.50 am -- a decision taken under the aegis of Prasar Bharati, the central public broadcaster.
A similar pattern was introduced in Chennai's FM Rainbow 101.4 from July 2024. The move has prompted criticism from political leaders, who urged the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to immediately restore full-time Tamil programming.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Sun of knowledge who came to elevate downtrodden Tamil Nadu": MK Stalin remembers M Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday remembered former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on his birth anniversary, praising him in a post as the 'sun of knowledge who came to elevate the downtrodden Tamil Nadu'. In the post on social media X, Stalin paid tribute to the 'guardian of three Tamil languages'. 'Happy birthday to the Tamil leader Kalaignar, who came as the sun of knowledge to elevate the downtrodden Tamil Nadu! Praise the guardian of the three Tamil languages, who made the classical language special for the Tamil languages, which were seen by the Mu Sangam,' the post stated. Stalin further said in his post: 'Let us be proud to be the siblings of the leader Kalaignar, who ruled Tamil Nadu as the Chief Minister five times, created a lot of history, and led the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a great movement that guided India, for 50 years, and provided both light and shadow!.' M. Karunanidhi, an influential politician and leader, was a prominent figure in Tamil Nadu's politics and played a crucial role in the Dravidian movement and the state's political landscape. Associated with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), he served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu five times, and held his position from 1969 to 1971, 1971 to 1976, 1989 to 1991, 1996 to 2001, and 2006 to 2011. Karunanidhi was known for his powerful oratory skills, and his commitment towards the people of the state, advocating for the rights of the Tamil-speaking population and working towards the cause of social justice. His demise on August 7, 2018, was the end of an era for Tamil Nadu politics. (ANI)
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Madrasi Camp demolition example of BJP's betrayal of Tamils: Congress MP
VIRUDHUNAGAR: Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore on Monday said the demolition of houses at the Madrasi Camp in South Delhi is a clear example of the BJP government's betrayal of Tamil people. In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, Tagore also expressed concern over the Railway board's decision of freezing and surrendering funds sanctioned for several new projects, including Madurai-Thoothukudi (via Aruppukottai) Phase-II Broad Gauge Line Project, for which Rs 55.16 crore has been allocated in the 2025-26 budget. 'This project holds strategic and socio-economic significance for Tamil Nadu, especially for the districts of Madurai, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar. The project promises enhanced connectivity, economic revitalisation and employment generation in backward regions that have long awaited this vital rail link,' Tagore said.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
India, Paraguay stand united against terror: PM Modi
India and members of the Global South can learn from each other's experiences in tackling challenges such as terrorism and organised crime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he held talks with visiting Paraguayan President Santiago Peña on bolstering cooperation in areas including trade, digital technology and defence. The Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which prompted India to target terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan, figured in talks between the two leaders. Modi said India and Paraguay 'stand united' in the fight against terror and Peña expressed solidarity with the victims of the terror attack. Both leaders unequivocally condemned all forms of terrorism and violent extremism, officials said. Peña began a three-day visit to India on Monday, the first by a Paraguayan president since 2012. Besides holding talks with the Indian leadership, Peña is set to meet top business leaders in New Delhi and Mumbai to urge them to invest in diverse sectors in Paraguay. 'India and Paraguay stand united in the fight against terrorism. There is immense possibility of cooperation to fight against shared challenges such as cybercrime, organised crime and drug trafficking,' Modi said in his opening remarks at the meeting with Peña, speaking in Hindi. Modi noted that India and Paraguay are integral parts of the Global South with similar aspirations and challenges and said: 'This is why we can learn from each other's experiences to deal with these challenges effectively.' Modi also expressed his deep appreciation for Paraguay's strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack and expressing solidarity with the people and government of India. 'Both leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations,' P Kumaran, secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing. 'We see new opportunities for cooperation in areas such as digital technology, critical minerals, energy, agriculture, healthcare, defence, railways, space and overall economic partnership,' Modi said. 'We have a preferential trade agreement with Mercosur. We can work together to further expand it.' In addition to setting up a joint commission as a key platform to review and advance cooperation in priority areas, the two sides are working on two separate memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance collaboration in agriculture and space technology. The two countries are working on a MoU for Paraguay to collaborate with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to develop and launch small and nano satellites, Kumaran said. While Paraguay's priorities in the defence sector are different from those of India, Kumaran said there is scope for bilateral cooperation in the context of Paraguay's efforts to secure a large network of inland waterways, including bolstering law enforcement to tackle trans-national crimes such as human and drug trafficking. Peña also expressed keen interest in attracting Indian investments and enhancing bilateral cooperation in health, pharmaceuticals, defence, infrastructure, mining and renewable energy. Peña urged Indian firms to take advantage of Paraguay's position as one of the most open economies in the Mercosur region and promised to facilitate investments, officials said. 'Given their central location in South America, it would be possible for us to use Paraguay as a launching pad to try and access other markets in the region. Our companies would be looking at Paraguay as...a staging post and therefore, look at it in a way that is a force multiplier,' Kumaran said. 'We will be looking at expanding our presence in South America, using Paraguay as a staging post.' India and Paraguay also wish to expand trade links under the India-Mercosur preferential trade agreement. The members of Mercosur, a trade bloc that currently includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, are holding technical talks with India on enhancing market access and boosting bilateral and inter-regional trade. There is serious interest in expanding the scope and reach of the India-Mercosur preferential trade agreement in terms of the range of products, though consensus has to be built up among the five members on the bloc on the terms of reference for further discussions, Kumaran said. Two-way between India and Paraguay was worth $477 million during 2022-23, with Indian exports accounting for $317 million. India's main exports were motor vehicles, agro-chemicals, auto parts and pharmaceutical products, while the key imports from Paraguay were soya oil, iron and steel, aluminium and animal products.
