Reacting to Shah’s remarks, senior Telangana minister KT Rama Rao said that while Hindi could be an alternative to English, “language domination and hegemony” would boomerang in the country.
Highlight
- Amit Shah said that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to the local languages.
- His comments received strong criticism from South Indian CMs, politicians and politicians.
- Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman also criticized HM’s remarks in a veiled post.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English and not to local languages. Presiding over the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language, Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that the medium of running the government is the official language and this will increase the importance of Hindi.
The BJP leader’s remarks have drawn strong criticism from various top political leaders and sly reactions from prominent personalities as well.
Strong opposition from southern leaders
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam insisted that the language cannot be imposed. Panneerselvam, the coordinator of the main opposition AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, said people can learn Hindi of their own accord but imposition of the language is unacceptable. Referring to the late CN Annadurai, he said that if the need arises, people willing to learn Hindi can do so voluntarily.
Reacting to Shah’s remarks, senior Telangana minister KT Rama Rao said that while Hindi could be an alternative to English, “language domination and hegemony” would boomerang in the country. Rama Rao, president of the ruling TRS and son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said imposing Hindi on the youth of a country with global aspirations would be a great loss.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah had earlier opposed Shah’s remarks.
MDMK founder and Rajya Sabha member Vaiko warned that “Amit Shah’s opinion of Hindi will break India’s unity”.
AR Rahman back on screen
A picture posted in Tamil by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman has sparked an animated debate on languages on social media.
A line, which appears as a footnote to the image, is from a popular poem by renowned Tamil nationalist poet Barathidasan and shows that the Tamil language served as the root of the rights of the Tamil people.
In the centre, an artistic depiction of a woman wearing a white sari, against a red background, is seen as a subtle reference to the Tamil mother and opposition to the Hindi imposition.
While a section of social media users lauded Rahman, saying that he posted the image with a red background to show his opposition to Hindi and full support for Tamil, others criticized him for posting the image. questioned.
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(Additional input from PTI)