Protests erupt across India against Amit Shah’s language proposal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's appeal to unify India with the country's most widely-spoken language, Hindi, was met with sharp criticism from the southern states on Saturday.

Veteran leaders such as Dravida MunnetraKazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin and former Karnataka chief ministersSiddaramaiah and HD Kumaraswamy came down heavily on Shah for pitching for his"one nation, one language" pitch on the occasion of Hindi Diwas.

Several pro-Kannada organizations, including KarnatakaRanadheera Pade, also held protest marches in Bengaluru against Hindi Diwas.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should issue a clarificationon Amit shah's statement. Else, the DMK will prepare itself for anotherlanguage protest. Is it India or Hindi-a? India stands for unity in diversity.The BJP-led government is trying to destroy this and go against it. The homeminister should withdraw his statement," said Stalin.

Earlier in June, responding to the suggestion of athree-language formula for schools in Tamil Nadu, the DMK chief had said that"Hindi is not in the blood of the people of Tamil Nadu".

"We have always stood against the imposition of Hindi andhave raised our voices against the same in cases of exams like the railways andpostal departments. We strongly condemn the home minister's statement," Stalinsaid on Saturday.

The DMK would take a decision on the ways and means tooppose Shah's stand at a high-level party meet to be held on September 16,Stalin said. Pluralism is India's biggest strength and unity in diversity is thenation's cultural identity, Stalin said, claiming that the BJP government istaking steps to 'erase' such an identity since assuming office at the Centre.

On the other hand Asom Sahitya Sabha also makes oppose inthis regard. Asom Sahitya sabha President Paramananda Rajbangshi told,"Assamese language always have to get the first priority in the State.Moreover, Hindi and English also important for us in our daily life."

Similarly, Assamese intellectual Arup Borborah told, "Withoutany regional language, its really impossible to constitute a state. After independenceof India, whenever a state has constituted, it always depends upon the regionallanguage."