Stop Hindi Imposition Campaign

The Stop Hindi Imposition campaign is an internet activism campaign attempting to bring linguistic equality to India.[1] It started as hashtag activism campaign.[2] The movement started in August 2015 when users shared examples and stories of Hindi imposition with the hashtags #StopHindiImposition, #StopHindiImperialism and #NotHindiRepublic. #GOIMakeMyLanguageOfficial hashtag also started in September 2016.[3]

Again Kannadigas started an awareness movement on 10th and 11th July 2017 indicating Hindi imposition in sount Indian branches of Banks by a Twitter hashtag #NammaBankuKannadaBeku [4]

Origin

The Indian people speak 122 major languages and 1599 other languages. The official languages of the Union Government are Hindi in the Devanagari script and English. The 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists 22 languages that have been referred to as scheduled languages and given official recognition and encouragement. The Government of India awarded the distinction of "classical language" to Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia.[5] In 2006, an "Anti Hindi-imposition conference" was held in Bangalore on 14 September, which is celebrated as Hindi Divas ("Hindi Day") in Indian central government institutions. The aim of the conference was to discuss plans for countering the imposition of Hindi on Kannadigas and the central government's Rajbhasha policy.[6] [7].

Kannada activities including KRVKarnataka Rakshana Vedike protested on December 2011, against Hindi imposition strategies of Central government on Bangalore Metro, by questioning need of Hindi "Hindi is not our national language. There is no to speak Hindi at stations. For people who do not know Kannada, announcements are made in English, which is the accepted language of communication", [8], and for this BMRCl spoke person Chavan, promised to look into the demands of the Vedike. The protesters have given the BMRCL a week to reply to their demands. And subsequently many boards got updated.

On the 69th Independence Day of India, Narendra Modi delivered his prime ministerial speech in Hindi. This launched the movement, which slowly started trending on Twitter in several cities in South India, including Bengaluru and Chennai. Government advertisements and websites that used Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states were pointed out by online activists.[9][10] The hashtag #StopHindiImposition trended nationally on 23 August 2015.[11] Internet users raised issues including the absence of local languages in the security and safety instructions on flight announcements, trains and even LPG cylinders.[12] In Bangalore, activists questioned the use of Hindi over other linguistic majorities in the trains of Namma Metro.[13]

Reach and Impact

The Twitter activity launched a debate on issues faced by non-Hindi speakers.[14] Previously, the announcements at Bengaluru Metro stations and inside the trains were made in English and Hindi. Post-campaign, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) started making more announcements in Kannada, and Hindi announcements have been reduced.[15]

The campaign was covered by news media and non-Hindi websites. It also got support from major cities in south, east and west India, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Mysuru, Kolkata and Mumbai.[16]

Photo Exhibition

A group of techies organised a photo exhibition at Ravindra Kalakshetra Art Gallery on 13 September 2015 on "India's language policy must promote equality".[12]

Karnataka State Government Stand

Chief minister of Karnataka also raised the concern against Central Governament imposition of Hindi in South Indian states on June 2017. [17] He told, "The Karnataka government will not tolerate imposition of Hindi. Hindi is being used in Metro rail citing the three-language formula. Metro is not a central government project. The major funding is by the state government."

Karnataka Political Parties Support

Karnataka BJP, Congress, and AAP members too supported for the campaign.[18] [19]

See also

References

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