After sparking controversy with his earlier remark on Sanatana Dharma, Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement regarding “Hindi being a uniting force in India.” Udhayanidhi expressed his views on X, stating that the Home Minister should refrain from marginalizing non-Hindi languages by categorizing them as merely regional languages.
In his post, Udhayanidhi strongly condemned Amit Shah’s assertion, saying, “I strongly condemn the statement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah claiming that Hindi is the uniting force of India and it is empowering other regional languages.” He argued that Hindi is only spoken in a handful of states in the country, rendering Amit Shah’s statement absurd. Udhayanidhi saw it as another attempt to impose Hindi under the guise of economic development.
Highlighting the linguistic diversity within India, he questioned the relevance of Hindi in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Udhayanidhi emphasized that it was crucial to avoid suppressing non-Hindi languages by relegating them to the status of regional languages and used the hashtag #StopHindiImposition to drive his point home.
On Hindi Diwas, Amit Shah stressed the importance of strengthening all Indian languages and dialects, expressing hope that Hindi would serve as a means to empower all. He asserted that Hindi was not in competition with other Indian languages and emphasized the role of languages in preserving cultural heritage.
Amit Shah also noted that Hindi has played a significant role in uniting India during times of division and struggle, including the freedom movement. He acknowledged Hindi’s role as a language of communication that facilitated the spread of the independence movement across the country. He highlighted the acceptance of Hindi as the official language by the architects of the Constitution on September 14, 1949, and stressed the importance of original and creative expression through one’s own language.
Udhayanidhi’s criticism of Amit Shah’s remarks adds to the ongoing debate on language politics and the status of Hindi in India.
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