R Ashwin’s remark on Hindi sparks debate: BJP’s Annamalai responds

Team Udayavani, Jan 11, 2025, 11:18 AM IST

BJP’s Tamil Nadu State President, Annamalai on Saturday, responded to the remarks made by former cricketer R. Ashwin, who had stated that Hindi is not the national language. Speaking to media representatives in Mangalore , Annamalai clarified that Ashwin’s comments should be viewed in a particular context.

He emphasized that Hindi is an “official language” and referred to the statements made by Prime Minister Modi, who has consistently affirmed that while Hindi is an official language, all languages, including regional ones, should be respected as national languages. The Prime Minister has expressed respect for languages like Kannada and Tamil. Annamalai also explained that Ashwin’s perspective was simply that all languages should be considered national languages, without giving undue emphasis to just Hindi.

Addressing the issue of Naxal surrenders, Annamalai raised concerns about the government’s approach. Referring to recent surrenders by six Naxals, he suggested that the manner in which the government handled their surrender raised doubts. He also mentioned a previous Naxal encounter involving leader Vikram Gowda, which had left questions unanswered.

Annamalai, who had served as the Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police, recalled his involvement in the surrender process during his tenure. He explained that surrenders were typically carried out in the presence of the district collector and police officials, following established procedures. However, in this case, he believed that political mileage was a driving factor in the surrender process.

He further warned that Naxal supporters could exert influence on the government and pose a potential threat to civil society. He also raised concerns that the public might not fully trust the surrender process, as evidenced by a lack of transparency and information about the surrenders, even within the Home Ministry.

Annamalai concluded by stating that Naxals, even after surrendering, could still pose a risk to society.