National News

“Hindi Is Our National Language, Everyone Should Know It”, JDU Head Nitish Kumar Tells DMK MP TR Baalu At I.N.D.I. Meeting

December 20, 2023
The Commune

In a recent development at the I.N.D.I. Alliance meet, a language controversy unfolded between leaders of the Janata Dal United (JDU) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The incident, which took place during a speech by Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar and JDU leader, has exposed underlying tensions over the use of Hindi in the diverse linguistic landscape of India.

During Nitish Kumar’s address in Hindi, DMK MP TR Baalu reportedly requested Manoj Jha to ensure translation. The request, however, seemed to irk Nitish Kumar, who responded by saying, “We live in Hindustan, Hindi is our national language, and everyone should know it.” 

It is reported that Nitish Kumar stopped Jha from translating. This statement, while reflecting Kumar’s strong stance on Hindi, also drew attention to the contrasting reactions from the DMK members present.

The lack of protest or objection from the DMK in response to Nitish Kumar’s assertion raised eyebrows, leading to questions about the party’s stance on “Hindi imposition“. 

The Hindu reported that Nitish Kumar continued speaking and he delved into the historical context of India’s freedom struggle against the British and criticised the imposition of English. Despite efforts from several leaders to calm the situation, no translation was provided. Even when Lalu Prasad Yadav spoke later, there was no translation offered.

Following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s initiation of the discussion, DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin took the floor as the first speaker, succeeded by Nitish Kumar. In an attempt to offset the fallout from Nitish Kumar’s earlier outburst, subsequent speakers, who typically addressed the audience in Hindi, opted to switch to English. This included Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party president Arvind Kejriwal.

It has been revealed that during his speech, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress for contesting the recent Assembly elections independently, insisting that they should have united under the banner of the I.N.D.I.A bloc. Stalin had also engaged in discussions with Kejriwal before the I.N.D.I.A parties meet.

The DMK, with its stronghold in Tamil Nadu, has historically supported only Tamil and opposed Hindi. The party has been vocal in opposing any attempts to “impose” Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states, citing concerns about cultural assimilation and the potential marginalisation of regional languages.

Critics argue that the party’s failure to challenge Nitish Kumar’s assertion on Hindi contradicts its previous stand against language imposition. Netizens also said DMK could have simply said “Hindi Theriyadu Poda” (We do not know Hindi).

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