Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that celebration of Classical Language Week in each state based on linguistic heritage will be more appropriate than celebrating Sanskrit Week.

Jayalalithaa said: “As you are aware, Tamil Nadu has a rich cultural heritage based on the ancient Tamil language. There has also been a strong social justice and language movement in the state. Hence, any official celebration of ‘Sanskrit Week’ in Tamil Nadu is highly inappropriate.

“It would have been much more appropriate to have organised a Classical Language Week in each state based on the linguistic heritage of that state,” she said in a letter to Modi Friday, the text of which was released to the media here Saturday.

Jayalalithaa was referring to the central government’s communication to all the chief secretaries of the states asking them to celebrate Sanskrit Week from Aug 7 to 13, 2014.

“I request you to advise the officials in the government of India to suitably modify the letter to enable each state, including the CBSE schools in that state, to organise celebrations in tune with the language and culture of the state.

“This would be in keeping with the cultural and linguistic sensitivities in a diverse country like ours,” Jayalalithaa said.