Hindi is not India’s national language: Ravichandran Ashwin
Chennai, January 11 (KMS): Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has sparked a debate by asserting that Hindi is not the national language of India, but merely an official language.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Ashwin made these comments during a convocation ceremony at a private college in Chennai, where he asked students which language they would prefer him to use in his address. While some students favored English, the overwhelming preference was for Tamil, with no support for Hindi.
“Hindi – no response. I thought I would say that Hindi is not our national language, but an official language,” Ashwin remarked.
His statement has resonated widely, garnering support from various individuals across social media platforms. The statement has ignited a trend emphasizing that “Hindi is not the national language; it is the official language.”
On X, user Asif Khan commented, “Hindi is one of the official languages of India, not the sole national language. India is a multilingual country with diverse cultures and languages.”
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party also lent its support to Ashwin’s remarks, with TKS Elangovan, a senior DMK leader, questioning, “How can Hindi be a national language when many states speak different languages?”
This controversy highlights the ongoing linguistic tensions in India, where the central government’s promotion of Hindi often clashes with regional language pride and demands for linguistic equality.
