While celebrating Hindi Divas on 14 September, Union minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah claimed that Hindi, being the most spoken language, alone had the power to unite the country.
He followed it up with an appeal to all Indians to prioritise the use of Hindi along with their own mother tongue to uphold one language across the country.
The statement, seen as an attempt to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states, has triggered a heated debate.
One Nation One Language? These Netizens Think Otherwise
#StopHindiImposition and #HindiImperialism have become buzzwords on Twitter, with users from different states speaking against Amit Shah’s assertion.
Some were also creative in expressing their discontentment:
While some put forth a more moderate view on the subject, welcoming Hindi in schools, colleges and government buildings as long as it was optional.
Others vehemently refused to bow down to ‘Hindi imposition.’
'Hindi Imposition' A Distraction From Economic Slowdown?
While many gave impassioned arguments for and against Hindi being the official language of India, others had another perspective on the suddenly triggered debate over language. Was this a deliberate move to distract Indians from the ongoing economic crisis, many asked.
What is your take on the matter? Would you be fine with Hindi being made compulsory across the country, or should it remain as one of the many official languages used? Let us know in the comments.
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