Actor turned politician Rajinikanth on Wednesday seconded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s views that a common language would work in favour of India’s unity. The actor said that while a common language will aid the country’s growth and development, it was ‘unfortunately’ not possible to implement such a move in the country.
“Be it whichever country, a common language will help in a country’s growth, development and unity. Unfortunately in India, you cannot have a common language,” the actor told the media on Wednesday, when asked about his views on a common language for the country. “You cannot impose any language, especially Hindi. Tamil Nadu and other south Indian states will not accept it. Even some north Indian states will not accept it,” he added, in what critics say is an attempt at being equivocal.
On September 14, on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had openly pushed for Hindi as ‘national language’. In a tweet, and in a subsequent speech, he said that it is important for the nation to have one language that it is identified by in the world and that only Hindi can unite India. He then went on to urge citizens on the occasion of Hindi Diwas to increasingly use their mother tongues, and also the Hindi language more often; and in doing so, contribute to realising the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.
Shah’s statement has been met with opposition from leaders in the southern states. DMK chief MK Stalin had said that the Union Minister must retract the statement that Hindi is the unifying language of India. He further pointed out that this was ‘India, not Hindia’ and that PM Modi must make his stance on this matter clear.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy meanwhile condemned the very celebration of Hindi Diwas and stated that all official languages including Kannada deserved the same status.
In Telangana meanwhile AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi stated that India was bigger than ‘Hindi, Hindu, Hindutva’. “Hindi isn’t every Indian’s “mother tongue”. Could you try appreciating the diversity & beauty of the many mother tongues that dot this land? Article 29 gives every Indian the right to a distinct language, script & culture. India’s much bigger than Hindi, Hindu, Hindutva,” he said in a tweet.
Source: The News Minute