A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah proposed the idea of ‘one language, one nation’, Kerala politicians, of the ruling and as the opposition parties in the state, have come out and spoken out against the idea put forth by the BJP leader.
The Minister stated that on the occasion of Hindi Diwas people must increasingly use their mother tongues, and also the Hindi language more often, and in doing so, contribute to realising the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel of 'one nation, one language'. He also claimed that while several languages have their own value, it is important for the nation to have one language that it is identified by in the world – Hindi.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has come out strongly to criticise Amit Shah’s idea of 'one nation and one language,' saying that the RSS is trying to start a conflict by mooting this idea.
“The adamant stance of Amit Shah despite widespread protest against the imposition of Hindi shows that RSS is trying to open a new conflict in the country,” Pinarayi Vijayan said in his Facebook post. He added that there are no conflicts at present in the country in the name of Hindi language and that there is no need for anyone to think that they are not Indians for not speaking Hindi.
“They should also understand that people have realised this move is to divert focus from the pressing issues which the country and people face,” he said.
Hitting out at the proposal, the state secretary of CPI(M) Kodiyeri Balakrishnan stated that Amit Shah was trying to implement the ideology of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) through this, as per a report in The New Indian Express.
“He has revealed the idea of RSS to impose one language and to break the country’s rich and diverse culture,” said Kodiyeri on Saturday. He also added that the BJP, at present, has an influence only over Hindi-speaking states and this was why they have started to target states in the south.
AK Balan, Minister for Culture and Welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, said that the idea to impose Hindi is strictly a political move and that it is against the diversity of the nation, reports Deccan Herald (DH).
“This is a sensitive issue and should be dealt carefully and everyone should be allowed to follow their mother tongue,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders have also slammed the proposition. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Mullapally Ramachandran said that Amit Shah’s proposal is a ‘dangerous proposition’ and will lead to dividing people on linguistic lines. “Each language in the country has its importance, unique identity and prominence as per the Constitution of India,” he said.
Former Kerala Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Oommen Chandy also rejected Shah’s idea and said that the discussion on Hindi imposition was already settled in the country and that there is no need to begin a discussion once again, reports DH.
Meanwhile, Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan in his tweet supported the idea mooted by Amit Shah. “A language inspires and unites people. Let us strengthen our unity through Hindi, our national language. Along with our mother tongue, let us use Hindi in our work,” he said.
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