HYDERABAD, INDIA: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao cautioned on Saturday that linguistic chauvinism and hegemony in the country will boomerang, in response to Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that Hindi should be considered as an alternative to English rather than local languages.
"India is a union of states and a true 'Vasudhaika Kutumbam,'" KTR, as Rama Rao is known, tweeted, highlighting unity in diversity as India's strength. Why don't we let the people of our beautiful country chose what they want to eat, dress, pray to, and talk in? Language chauvinism and hegemony will boomerang. First and first, I am an Indian, followed by a passionate Telugu and Telanganaite. I can communicate in Telugu, English, Hindi, and a smattering of Urdu. Imposing Hindi while dismissing English would be a huge disservice to the country's young people who have global ambitions. #stopHindiImposition." This is the first response to Shah's statement from a leader from one of the two Telugu states.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and other non-Hindi-speaking states have already responded angrily to the Home Minister's statement, stating that they will not accept the imposition of Hindi.
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