In a startling comment, senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Ports and Shipping in the Narendra Modi government, Pon Radhakrishnan has asked all Tamilians to learn Hindi and Sanskrit.

This comes at a time when the Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma is proposing to make teaching of Sanksrit and Hindi compulsory in all schools.

According to a leading daily, Pon Radhakrishnan said that he is ashamed for not learning Sanskrit but the new generation shouldn't miss out. He said that if people from Andhra and Kerala can learn Hindi, there is no reason why Tamilians can't learn the language.

Many parties from Tamil Nadu in the past have strongly objected to what they call as any attempt to impose Hindi on them. Election in Tamil Nadu is due in few months and it will be interesting to see if this issue becomes a possible electoral talking point.