Mumbai: In a move that is sure to stir up controversy, Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and MLA Abu Azmi has advocated for Hindi to be used as a unifying language across India, amidst the ongoing debate over the use of Tamil in official circles.
This comes in the wake of the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to replace the official rupee symbol with its Tamil script equivalent in the state’s Budget 2025-26, a move that has sparked strong reactions from various quarters. “India is a large country. There should be a language that is acceptable to all, and I believe that Hindi is that language,” Azmi told IANS. “There is a parliamentary committee for this also, and I feel that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Hindi should be given the recognition.”
The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government’s move has drawn criticism from several leaders, including Shiv Sena’s Manisha Kayande, who termed it “unconstitutional” and a violation of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. “The Tamil Nadu government has no authority to change our national rupee symbol to any local language,” Kayande told IANS. The Shiv Sena leader also accused the DMK of deliberately challenging the Centre and using the issue for political gain. “The three-language policy has been accepted in India for a long time. Hindi is a common language. They give recognition to English but not to Hindi. They love speaking and learning English but do not like Hindi, even though it is an Indian language. This is just an attempt to create hatred among the people,” she said.
Another Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Nirupam, went a step further, calling the DMK’s decision “treasonous” and “anti-national.” “The rupee symbol is the pride of this country. Changing it and using Tamil letters instead is unacceptable,” Nirupam told IANS. The leader also accused the Dravidian parties of using anti-Hindi sentiments for political gain and warned that the move could lead to a backlash. “The entire country is united today, unlike the 1960s when such movements took place. Hindi has gained respect nationwide as an effective communication language,” he said.
As the debate rages on, with no end in sight, it remains to be seen whether Azmi’s proposal for Hindi as a unifying language will gain traction or whether the Tamil Nadu government’s move will prevail. One thing is clear, however, and that is that the issue has the potential to polarize the nation and create divisions along linguistic lines.
Original Source: https://www.sentinelassam.com/more-news/national-news/abu-azmi-calls-for-hindis-universal-acceptance-ss-slams-dmk-over-rupee-symbol-row
Category : National News
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Publish Date: 2025-03-16 10:15:00
