Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has ignited a fresh debate on the status of Hindi in India, stating that it is “not a national language, but an official language.” The remark, made during a speech at a graduation ceremony in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has drawn mixed reactions on social media.
Addressing the audience at a private engineering college, Ashwin engaged with students in English, Tamil, and Hindi. When met with a tepid response to Hindi, he said, “English students in the house, give me a yay. Tamil (students cheer loudly)… okay… Hindi (very little noise from the crowd)… I wanted to say Hindi is an official language and not the national language.”
Ashwin’s statement has reignited discussions about the status of Hindi, a contentious issue in India’s multilingual society. The Indian Constitution designates Hindi as an official language, but not a national language. Hindi Diwas, celebrated on September 14, marks the Constituent Assembly’s decision to adopt Hindi as an official language of the Union government.
According to a report in News18, as per the Census 2011, 43.63 per cent of Indians consider Hindi their mother tongue. However, resistance to its perceived imposition remains strong, particularly in non-Hindi-speaking states like Tamil Nadu.
The Opposition has often accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking regions. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has been vocal on the issue, condemning the celebration of Hindi Month in his state.
In 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on “one nation, one language” sparked nationwide protests. Shah later clarified his stance, stating, “Mother tongue does not mean Hindi… But there should be one language in the country, and if someone wants to learn another language, it should be Hindi.”
A similar controversy arose last month during Diljit Dosanjh’s concert in Bengaluru, when a woman’s account on X detailed how the event escalated into a “Kannada language row.” Tanisha Sabherwal claimed she was pushed and verbally abused by another attendee after politely asking her to move aside.
With inputs from agencies.
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Watch | Cricketer R Ashwin triggers row with ‘Hindi just an official language’ remark
