Chennai, Apr 10 (IANS): 'Murasoli', the organ of Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK, on Sunday come out strongly against the recent statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages.

In an article, it recalled how party patriarch and former Chief Minister, late M. Karunanidhi had, as a 14-year-old student, marched across the streets of Tiruvattur against the then Central government's move to impose Hindi on the people of the state.

The people of Tamil Nadu still have not forgotten the rally taken out by Karunanidhi against Hindi, it said, adding: "Do not forget it".

In a direct call to the people of Tamil Nadu to strongly oppose the imposition of Hindi, the article asserted that there was no coward in the state and that Hindi cannot be imposed on them.

Karunanidhi's son and present Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin has strongly come out against the Union Home Minister's statement, saying that it would destroy national integration.

Several state parties, including the opposition AIADMK, have also come out against the statement of Amit Shah and the VCK and the DK have announced that they would conduct protest marches across the state against the statement of the Union Home Minister.

MDMK leader Vaiko has also said that the imposition of Hindi on the people of Tamil Nadu will never be accepted and reminded the power centres in New Delhi to remember the anti-Hindi agitations that had taken place in Tamil Nadu in earlier days.