The other side of E. V. Ramasamy Naicker — Part 2 (The Lust For English)
This is a translation of M. Venkatesan’s book in Tamil which was also was published as a series of articles on www.tamilhindu.com. Permissions were obtained for the translation. Previous part of this series is here.
“English is the appropriate language for the Tamils.
Take the English alphabet for the Tamil language and push out the barbaric (Tamil) alphabet.”
What pride is in the Tamil language? What is the deficiency in English?” (Book: Tamil and Tamils)
“I still oppose Hindi. But not because Tamil will be ruined as you say. What is left in Tamil to be ruined? It is because we need English. My opposition to Hindi is not a linguistic issue. It is a political issue.” (Viduthalai 03.03.1965)
(First he said he opposed Hindi for the sake of opposing Brahmins. Then he said he opposed Hindi because English literacy is needed. Look at his contradictory positions! This is how cultured and honest Ramasamy Naicker was.)
“If at all India needs a common link language or a language for commerce, English should be chosen and advocated to all the people. Thinking of any other language for this purpose is foolishness or conspiratorial.” (Kudiarasu 20.01.1920)
“This morning, when I spoke in support of the president of this conference, I said that I would vote for English if it was made a compulsory subject rather than Tamil.” (Periyar E.V.R. Thoughts Volume III)
“Even today, if those who grew up drinking the milk of The Tamil Mother had drunk English bottled milk instead, they would have been more skilled and talented, and their living conditions would have been different. That is, they would have not only been greatly benefitted, they would have also benefited others and would have been hard workers.
If we want to be talented in any field today, we should send our people to Western countries and tell them that only with (English) bottled milk, thoughts, processes, names of goods, names of parts, names of practices, basic concepts, etc. can be learnt. Is our mother’s milk (Tamil) of any use for all this?” (Periyar E.V.R. Thoughts Volume II)
“I have said that if English becomes the spoken language of the Tamil people, I will be very happy and satisfied.
At home, speak only in English, not only to your wife and children but even to your servants, practice to speak, strive to speak. Get rid of this Tamil madness.” (Periyar E.V.R. Thoughts Volume II)
The man who had hatred for Tamil and love for English is claimed to be the one who toiled for the sake of the Tamil language. The man who had a lust for English calls Tholkappiyar and Kamban as traitors of Tamil. Real Tamils should question what merit Ramasamy Naicker has, to say all this?
He also says that the one who learns English will become skilled and talented. Would this mean that all Britishers are skilled and talented? There are a lot of panhandlers in Britain. Then, would panhandlers who know English be skilled and talented. Why are they panhandling with all this skill and talent? Hence, one cannot become skilled and talented only by virtue of knowing English.
Did the man who asked everyone to talk only in English speak in it with his wife and his servants? No! They compare him with Socrates. Did he become a rationalist only by drinking English bottled milk? Did he become talented by learning English? Only the rationalists should answer!
Continued in Part 3.
Translator’s note
It is ironic that E.V. Ramasamy Naicker’s wish has been fulfilled since English is largely used as a link language today in India and I am translating this book from Tamil to English. This is also a fulfillment of the wish of British colonizers.
