There is More to India than Hindi

Everyone knows language is a touchy issue in many parts of India. Yet, we like to play with fire for the sake of politics.

- Anand Neelakantan

Right from 1937, Tamil Nadu has witnessed many anti-Hindi battles and campaigns. People have rioted, committed suicide and organised mass protests over ‘Hindi’ imposition right from 1937. C Rajagopalachari decided to introduce compulsory Hindi teaching in the Madras Presidency schools. Periyar EV Ramasamy, Soma Sudara Bhartiyar and others took the lead against this mandatory introduction of an alien language, and the street battles and riots that went on for nearly two years resulted in the deaths of two protesters and arrests of thousands of people, including women and children. Ironically, it wasn’t the British government that led the crackdown; it was a supposedly nationalist government led by the Indian National Congress and its stalwart C Rajagopalachari. The massive agitation resulted in Rajaji losing the chief ministership in 1939. Lord Erskine, the Governor of Madras, withdrew the mandatory Hindi education for unwilling people in February 1940. When we won independence, after extensive debate, Hindi was adopted as the official language of India, with English as an associate official language for a pre-set period of 15 years. Hindi was supposed to be the sole official language on January 26, 1965.