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'Hindi politics prevented many South Indians from becoming PM'

  •   Mon, Aug 10 2020 07:16:37 PM

Bengaluru, Aug 10 (IANS): Less than a day after Tamil politician Kanimozi Karunanidhi's nationality was allegedly questioned for not knowing Hindi, former Karnataka chief minister H. D. Kumaraswamy has lambasted 'Hindi politics', and cited it as the reason that prevented many South Indian leaders from becoming the Prime Minister of India.

"Hindi politics has prevented many South Indians from becoming prime minister - Karunanidhi and Kamaraj are prominent. Though Deve Gowda was successful in breaking this barrier, there were several incidents of him being criticised and ridiculed for reasons of language," said Kumaraswamy.

Following a CISF officer allegedly asking Kanimozi if she was an Indian because she asked the officer to speak to her either in Tamil or English as she did not know Hindi, Kumaraswamy said it is apt now to speak about the lost opportunities of southern leaders.

"Kanimozi has been questioned 'Are you an Indian?'. I raise my voice against the insult meted to sister Kanimozhi. Now, it is apt to debate how political leaders from the South were snatched of their opportunities by Hindi politics and discrimination," he asserted.

According to the JD (S) leader, 'Hindi politics' forced his father Gowda to deliver an Independence Day speech in Hindi when he was the Prime Minister in the late 90s.

"Gowda finally agreed only because of farmers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Hindi politics works in this country to this extent," he pointed out.

Reminiscing about his own experiences as a former parliamentarian, Kumaraswamy said the ruling class ignores South India with disdain.

"I have seen from close quarters how Hindi politicians manoeuvre. Most of them don't respect non-Hindi politicians," he recollected.

The South Indian leader also highlighted that only English and Hindi are being offered as the language options for writing many public sector exams, citing banking exam IBPS as an example.

"There is no place for Kannada in this year's notification. Kannadigas are being denied opportunities for getting jobs. This must stop," he said.

Though the Central government says Hindi is one of the languages, Kumaraswamy has alleged that it is spending crores of rupees in India and overseas to promote and popularise the language.

"This is one of the clandestine programmes. It is possible to fight this only with love and respect for each one's language," he added.

 

 
  

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Comment on this article

  • k b r, Mangala Uru

    Tue, Aug 11 2020

    Simple English should be made communication language in India... English being international language, this will help when Indians go abroad... now since Indian laborers do not know English, many gulf countries have, for the benefit of these Indians, are displaying signs in Malayalam in road signs and also in hospitals...teach basic conversational English from 1st standard itself throughout India...even politicians will not have to use teleprompter and read English speeches, and also situations like "twenteen nineteen" will be avoided... In north India, many professionals including doctors do not know English properly...salesmen in pharmacy cannot read/understand the medical info given on medicine cover....

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Krishna Dasa, Udupi,.

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    India is not one country. It is a union of many Nation like former Soviet Union. Some Nations/territories voluntarily joined Dominion of India with out pre conditions. Some like Jammu & Kashmir, Junagadh joined India with agreements. Some Nations like Nizams Hyderabad & Goa were taken forcefully in to the Dominion of India. If the Dominion of India is not skillfully ruled with respect, power & opportunity India may crumble like former Soviet Union and will be ruled and controlled by many Prime ministers & Presidents. or neighboring countries like China, Nepal and Pakistan may take over disputed parts of India.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Veer, Nagpur

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    Senseless and unrelated comments.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    We need Four Prime Ministers - North, South, East & West ...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Deshbhakt, Mangalore

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    Instead of sympathising, HDK should have called for opening up Hindi in Tamilnadu school colleges to get ourselves competitive than cribbing over it. His father was still better because in Karnataka Hindi is not a taboo.

    'Aisaa hi hoon mein' will not work.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Santhosh Kulal, Mangaluru

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    Why Hindi in TN or even in Karnataka? Are schools in Delhi, MP, UP teaching Kannada or Tamil? Hindi is as much a regional language like Tamil or Malayalam or Kannada. Just because many speak it, does not make it a national language. In India we have more crows than peacocks in number. So why not make crow as national bird than peacock? How about replacing tiger from national animal and making dog a national animal since we have more dogs than tigers in our country? In India every one of the 22 Constitutionally approved languages are official languages and no single language can boss over other. Even in Hindi belt there's strong opposition against the so called 'government Hindi' because it is bossing over and is almost killing other Hindi dialects such as Awadhi, Haryanvi, Brij Bhasha, Bundeli, Kannauji and even Bhojpuri. The 'government Hindi' or the 'Khadi Boli' is actually a Hindi predominantly used in Delhi and neighbouring areas of UP. When other Hindi dialects themselves are against imposition of Hindi, we Southerners, that too, we Kannadigas want Hindi to be heaped over us. No one can and should impose Hindi over us. Those who want, let them learn. But those who don't want, don't force them.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    Couldn't agree with you more.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Deshbhakt, Mangalore

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    Santhosh Kulal,

    We have labours from UP/Bihar/Bengal in Karnataka. Do you know how many of them speak Kannada fluently ? Why ? Couldn't they stick to Kannauji/Bihari/Bengali ? The same Tamilians who refused entry of Hindi into their state, speak like a parrots with Arabs. What was the compulsion ? I wish Kanhimoli had go through that.

    We have so many Gujarati and Marwadi businessmen. Do you know how fluently they converse with customers ? Why ? Couldn't they insist on customers learning their language ? I know seven languages fluently, two can manage 60-70 % - Did it happen because someone forced it on me ?

    Look gentleman, the more versatile you are, the more waters you can swim through. No, not out of force, out of your own intellect. Choice is yours.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Arthur, Mangalore

    Mon, Aug 10 2020

    In business the customer is king. If Gujaratis and Marwaris refused to learn the language of their customers, they would lose business. Do not confuse business and politics.

    Politics is about power. Hindi politicians are using the large number of Hindi speakers to grab and hold power at the expense of leaders of non-Hindi nations.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [4] Report Abuse


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