‘Why can’t we learn Hindi too?’: AP CM Naidu sparks debate on language

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N Chandrababu Naidu has once again made a case for learning Hindi, calling it a useful skill for India’s youth. In a post on X on June 11, he wrote, “Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam are our native languages, and we must learn them – no compromise on it. But there’s value in learning Hindi additionally. It can help our youth with job opportunities, and bring us together as people of this great country. Let language unite us, not divide.”

The post accompanied a video clip from an India Today interview on June 8, where he claimed that people from Hyderabad often have an edge in Delhi because they speak fluent Hindi. He also said that youth from states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala may be at a disadvantage due to their unfamiliarity with the Hindi language.

“Why can't we learn Hindi?” he asked. “Local language, mother tongue, is a must. No compromise on Telugu, Tamil, Kannada. But why not also learn Hindi, to mingle with North Indians at the national level? We have to recognise the national language — nothing wrong in it,” he added, though Hindi is not officially designated as India’s national language.

This is not a new position for Naidu. Back in March, while addressing the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, he made a similar appeal. 

“Language is not for hating. Telugu is our mother tongue. Hindi is the national language and English is the international language,” he said, urging states to avoid “unnecessary politics” over language. “The more languages we learn, the better.”

Naidu’s remarks, meanwhile, have sparked a debate online, with many welcoming his call for multilingualism, while others cautioned against the risk of linguistic imposition. Several users stressed that languages like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Gujarati are not just tools of communication but core parts of cultural identity. “Unity doesn’t come from imposition, it comes from mutual respect,” one user said. Others agreed with Naidu, arguing that a widely spoken language like Hindi could be a helpful unifier beyond English.

Notably, Naidu is a key ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and his comments come at a time when Tamil Nadu and other southern states are voicing strong opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its three-language formula, which includes Hindi. The BJP has long faced criticism over its perceived efforts to promote Hindi at the cost of linguistic diversity.