Omar Abdullah joins the debate after a Twitter banter broke out between Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and Kannada star Kichcha Sudeepa over the use of the Hindi language as the national language.
The idea of India
Reacting to the Twitter brawl between Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeepa, Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that India is too diverse a country to have one national language.
“India is too diverse a country to have one national language. The idea of India is that it gives space to everybody. If the Indian currency note gives space to all languages, then it’s understood that we’re more than just one language, culture, and religion,” said Abdullah at a Press Conference.
India is too diverse a country to have a national language.The idea of India is that it gives space to everybody. If Indian currency note gives space to all languages,then it's understood that we're more than just one language,culture&religion: Omar Abdullah, National Conference pic.twitter.com/gF9hwDJapR
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2022
“We must give space to everybody. Let people choose. Why should there be a national language? I do not think a place like India needs a national language, we do not need a national religion. We need to give space to everybody,” he adds.
Political debate
Ultimately the debate took a political turn with former Karnataka chief ministers Siddaramaiah and HD Kumaraswamy urging that Hindi is like any other language in India and not the national language.
“Hindi was never & will never be our National Language. It is the duty of every Indian to respect the linguistic diversity of our country. Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of. I am proud to be a Kannadiga!!” Congress leader Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Hindi was never & will never be our National Language.
It is the duty of every Indian to respect linguistic diversity of our Country.
Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of.
I am proud to be a Kannadiga!! https://t.co/SmT2gsfkgO
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 27, 2022
The JD(S) head Kumaraswamy too expressed his view similar to Siddaramaiah and backed Sudeep.
“Actor @KicchaSudeep saying that Hindi is not a National Language is correct. There is nothing to find fault in his statement. Actor @ajaydevgn is not only hyper in nature but also shows his ludicrous behavior,” he tweeted.
Actor @KicchaSudeep saying that Hindi is not a National Language is correct. There is nothing to find fault in his statement. Actor @ajaydevgn is not only hyper in nature but also shows his ludicrous behaviour. 1/7
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) April 28, 2022
