After Tamil Nadu DMK leader, MK Stalin took on Home Minister Amit Shah’s “One India, One Language” tweet, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has also argued against the idea. On Saturday, on the occasion of Hindi Diwas Shah said, “Today, if one language can do the work of tying the country to the door of unity, then it is the most spoken Hindi language.”

Pinarayi Vijayan said that “No Indian should feel alienated because of language” and “this is an attempt to divert attention from the real problems”. He also said that “Union Minister’s statement is a war cry against the mother tongues of non-hindi speaking people.”

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No Indian should feel alienated because of language. India’s strength is its ability to embrace diversity. Sangh Parivar must relinquish divisive policies. They must realize that people can see through the ploy; that this is an attempt to divert attention from the real problems.

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— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) September 15, 2019

In a series of tweets Vijayan said, “India’s strength is its ability to embrace diversity. Sangh Parivar must relinquish divisive policies. They must realize that people can see through the ploy; that this is an attempt to divert attention from the real problems.”

The claim that Hindi unifies our country is absurd. That language is not the mother tongue of a majority of Indians. The move to inflict Hindi upon them amounts to enslaving them. Union Minister’s statement is a war cry against the mother tongues of non-hindi speaking people.

— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) September 15, 2019

The other tweet reads, “The claim that Hindi unifies our country is absurd. That language is not the mother tongue of a majority of Indians. The move to inflict Hindi upon them amounts to enslaving them. Union Minister’s statement is a war cry against the mother tongues of non-hindi speaking people.”

On Saturday, in a series of tweets Amit Shah said,“India is a country of different languages and every language has its own importance but it is very important to have a language of the whole country which should become the identity of India in the world. Today, if one language can do the work of tying the country to the door of unity, then it is the most spoken Hindi language.”

Earlier, MK Stalin in his criticism of Amit Shah for asserting the need for ‘one nation, one language’ said, “this is India, not Hindia”.

The Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition said, “The Home Minister’s views threatening India’s integrity are painful and condemnable. The DMK will not hesitate to unite states which stand to lose rights due to Hindi dominance.”
The Congress also said that the “three-language formula” comprising of Hindi, English and the regional language of the states, used until now should not be tampered with.

Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year on September 14, marking the significance of the day when the country’s Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi as the official language of India.

One of the 22 scheduled languages of the country, Hindi was adopted as the official language of the country on September 14, 1949.

India does not have any national language, emphasizing on the need of ‘unity in diversity.’