#StopHindiImposition trends as Amit Shah pushes for 'One Nation, One Language'

New Delhi, Sep 13: At a time when states across India are fighting against Centre's repeated attempts to impose Hindi, Union Minister Amit Shah has declared that only Hindi can unite the country and has openly pushed for the 'One Nation, One Language' agenda.

It sparked a debate on social media with hashtags like #StopHindiImposition, where Twitterati vented their anger against Amit Shah's statement.

In June, the Draft New Educational Policy 2019 had created an uproar, especially in the southern states, after a clause recommended mandatory Hindi teaching in all schools.

The draft National Education Policy 2019 available on the government website said the three-language formula will need to be implemented in its spirit throughout the country, promoting multilingual communicative abilities for a multilingual country. Schools in Hindi speaking areas should also offer and teach Indian languages from other parts of India, it said.

The three-language formula, followed since the adoption of the National Policy on Education 1968 and endorsed in subsequent years will be continued.

In June, the Southern Railways had been forced to withdraw a circular directing Station Masters to communicate with the Divisional Control Office only in English or Hindi, following protests from the railway employees and the DMK in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu has long opposed any moves to give Hindi greater prominence than other Indian languages. Even in pre-Independence era, the region saw anti-Hindi protests in 1937 that went on till 1940. In 1965, the issue flared once again, triggering riots that killed as many as 70 people.