No intention to impose Hindi: Kiren Rijiju

The NDA government on Friday assured it has no intention to impose Hindi over any other Indian language.

The statement made by the junior minister (Home Affairs) Kiren Rijiju in the Rajya Sabha is being considered significant as it comes in the backdrop of claims that the Modi government is trying to impose Hindi on non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.

Replying to a debate on a private member's bill by BK Hariprasad of the Congress, seeking inclusion of 'Tulu' and 'Kodava' languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, Rijiju said, "There is no question of imposition of Hindi over any other language. Hindi is the official language. There is no one national language. There is no question of discrimination."

Rijiju, who is in-charge of the Department of Official Languages in the Ministry of Home Affairs, also clarified that there is no special effort or attempt to promote Hindi.

The controversy over Hindi being imposed was generated after Pranab Mukherjee accepted the recommendation of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language that all dignitaries including the President and ministers, especially those who can read and speak Hindi, may be requested to give their speech/statement in Hindi only.

Hariprasad, the initiator of the bill, who hails from Karnataka, said, "We have no problem in making Hindi compulsory in the southern states, but please make one southern language compulsory in north India."