#HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage trends as Twitter roars against the draft New Educational Policy

A draft New Educational Policy was recently released and received a lot of backlash. The policy suggested that Hindi should be made a mandatory third language in schools. According to it, students in the Hindi-speaking states should learn a new third language, and those in non-Hindi-speaking states should learn Hindi. Immediately, it was met with criticism by netizens.

As soon as this was released, Hindi Is Not The National Language started trending on Twitter. Politicians such as Raj Thackeray, Shashi Tharoor, Nirmala Sitharaman among others also spoke up on the matter. In fact, Sitharaman posted his tweet in Tamil to pacify the situation. Translating it brought out the message that people should not get angry just yet. It is a draft policy and would only be implemented after considering people’s opinions.

மக்கள் கருத்துக்களை கேட்டறிந்த பின்பே கல்வி குழுவின் வரைவு அறிக்கை அமல்படுத்தப்படும். பிரதமர் அனைத்து இந்திய மொழிகளையும் வளர்க்க விரும்பியே “ஒரே பாரதம் உன்னத பாரதம்” “#EkBharatSreshthaBharat முயற்சியை துவக்கினார். தொன்மையான தமிழை போற்றி வளர்பதற்கு மத்ய அரசு முன்னின்று ஆதரிக்கும்.

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) June 2, 2019

"हिंदी ही राष्ट्रभाषा नाही. उगाच ती लादून आमची माथी भडकावू नका." - मनसे नेते अनिल शिदोरे#HindiImposition pic.twitter.com/wxja0RpCBT

— MNS Adhikrut (@mnsadhikrut) June 2, 2019

ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡವೇ ಸಾರ್ವಭೌಮ ಭಾಷೆ. ಹೊಸ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ನೀತಿಯ ಮೂಲಕ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಮೇಲೆ ಹಿಂದಿ ಹೇರಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ಸಹಿಸಲಾಗದು. ಕನ್ನಡ ನಮ್ಮ‌ ಅಸ್ಮಿತೆ. ನೆಲ, ಜಲ ಹಾಗೂ ಭಾಷೆಯ ವಿಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜಿಯಾಗುವ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಯೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಜನಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಗಳೆಲ್ಲರೂ ಪಕ್ಷಾತೀತವಾಗಿ ಚಿಂತನೆ ಮಾಡಬೇಕೆಂದು ನನ್ನ ಮನವಿ.#StopHindiImposition

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) June 3, 2019

The National Education Policy as submitted to the Minister HRD is only a draft report. Feedback shall be obtained from general public. State Governments will be consulted. Only after this the draft report will be finalised. GoI respects all languages. No language will be imposed

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 2, 2019

People started putting up opinions about how Hindi is just another language, and not the National Language. It should not be forced or imposed upon any section of the people. This uproar is especially being in seen in the Tamilian community.

See this and then decide. #UnityIsStrength #HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage pic.twitter.com/Q2vgglkfoW

— Diva (@Benaam23) June 3, 2019

#HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage don't force us to learn Hindi if we want we will learn Hindi now it's not needed.... Don't force

— Ramprasath (@ram007ach) June 2, 2019

See the difference of Hindi and Tamil.#HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage pic.twitter.com/YrmLbSjkdq

— Ramakrishnan (@Ramakvinfy) June 3, 2019

The picture speaks it all. #HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage pic.twitter.com/Ixs9ZIJray

— Akbar Hussain (@AkbarHussaine) June 3, 2019

Can't get this #HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage.

As a Maharashtrian, I chose to take Hindi as a subject in school because I was already learning Marathi at home. It made sense to know a common language. Now I want to learn Tamil or Kannada. Is that wrong? #LanguageFluidity

— Madhura Patil (@sweet_sundry) June 3, 2019

#HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage

This is enough to explain y our Tamil is enough in Tamilnadu pic.twitter.com/IuVwgBZmsD

— tirravin (@tirravin) June 3, 2019

Hindi imposition can't be explained much better... If you people are supporting, then, remove the word SECULAR from Constitution of India! #HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage pic.twitter.com/QWIrwCuSVs

— Aadithyan T G (@AadithyanTG) June 3, 2019

Those trending #HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage deliberately trying to create confusion & hatred against Hindi - Draft NEP makes not attempt to impose Hindi on non Hindi states - in fact will help in promoting languages like Tamil- also 3lang formula dates back to 1968/86/2005 pic.twitter.com/jUVQRnuNoT

— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) June 3, 2019

Hindi is just other language not a national language..! We don't need Hindi..! தமிழ் is our Identify and pride..! #HindiIsNotTheNationalLanguage #StopHindiImposition#TamilIsOurPride? pic.twitter.com/majeR8sPgx

— Praveen Mano? (@isravel_m25) June 2, 2019

Looking at people’s reactions, BJP reminded that it is a draft policy and no language will be imposed forcefully.

While the majority of citizens are of the opinion that this policy shouldn’t come into practice as everyone is free to or not to learn any language; there is also a segment that thinks it’s harmless, if the Hindi speaking public also learns some other regional language. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.