In the recent past, there has been a lot of hue and cry about the alleged ‘Hindi imposition’ by the Center. And as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget talking in Hindi at times apart from English, shrieks of ‘Hindia’ and imposition again flooded social media.
In South India, what’s trending along with #Budget2018 is #HindiBudget, ppl using social media to ask whether it is India or Hindia https://t.co/RXgrr0dVf9
— Arun Janardhanan (@arunjei) February 1, 2018
Manuraj S, spokesperson for the DMK took to Twitter to urge his followers to ‘stop Hindi imposition.
#HindiBudget#Hindia#StopHindiImposition
Thank you for an honest answer Mr Finance Minister @arunjaitley to our collective question titled in this @IndianExpress OpEd only a few days ago: pic.twitter.com/fRiTt2hNdE
— Manuraj S (@manuraj1983) February 1, 2018
Some even tried to paint it as a bigger talking point than the contents of the budget itself.
If indeed the budget speech is delivered in Hindi as is being speculated it will be most unfortunate. It will indicate a lack of inclusiveness that is troubling. This will become a bigger talking point than what the Budget speech contains.
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) February 1, 2018
People, as expected, were not pleased at these attempts at sowing division within the country.
RT if you’re a South Indian and don’t care about the language the budget was presented in. https://t.co/LqQHQfd2z5
— Peshwa (@AgentSaffron) February 1, 2018
I am a South Indian. I care for agriculture, economy, healthcare, defense, infrastructure, electricity and the well being of all Indians. I don’t care for the language in which the budget was presented.#Budget2018 #HindiBudget https://t.co/AUCkBXunRQ
— Pradeep Deshpande (@DeshpandePradep) February 1, 2018
When senior journalists like @karthickselvaa decide to mislead people & encourage seeds of victimisation & separatism among youngsters of Tamil Nadu; then I really pity. Sorry sir, not at all expected from you to peddle blatant lies & provoke others. https://t.co/qG7cI7DlPe
— SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) February 1, 2018
Jaitley’s speech is mostly in English, FYI, For the first time, PC prepared Budget manual in Hindi in the year 2014, remove your hate glass and see. https://t.co/qRG0ZqVROX
— Ethirajan Srinivasan (@Ethirajans) February 1, 2018
All are focusing on #Budget2018 ….
This idiot focusing on creating language Politics…
He clearly speaking in English ….#Budget2018https://t.co/oMV2vbaGI4— விசுவாசமான கோகுல் ? (@GokulTalks) February 1, 2018
200 mn people know English in India. 600 mn know Hindi. Which is inclusive? https://t.co/wjs0ezYQZY
— MRV (@MRVChennai) February 1, 2018
10% of the population understands English. >40% understand Hindi. Yet speech in English will indicate inclusiveness and speech in Hindi won’t. https://t.co/Wuj4hjzWFb
— Spaminder Bharti (@attomeybharti) February 1, 2018
Language in which the budget speech is delivered can be a greater talking point than the budget itself ! Let that sink in! https://t.co/65rz6j2teP
— Anshika Shukla (@anshikashukla_) February 1, 2018
Opposition to alleged ‘Hindi imposition’ has become fashionable at this point with politicians looking to benefit electorally from the divisive rhetoric. However, when one resorts to attack the Finance Minister for presenting the budget in English and Hindi, it reeks more of desperation than anything else.
