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Cricketer R Ashwin faces outrage for stating a fact — ‘Hindi is not national language’

The Indian right-wing activists, especially supporters of the ruling BJP, started slamming Ashwin for stating a fact that Hindi is not the country's national language but an official language.

South First Desk

Published Jan 10, 2025 | 3:50 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 10, 2025 | 3:50 PM

Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ravichandran Ashwin.

The Indian Constitution recognises Hindi as one of its 22 scheduled languages. Hindi is also an official language alongside English. However, some people in the country seem to have forgotten it when former Indian national cricket team member Ravichandran Ashwin reiterated just that.

The Indian right-wing, especially supporters of the ruling BJP, started slamming Ashwin for stating that Hindi is not India’s national language but an official language. However, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu came out in support of the cricketer.

Speaking during a function at a private college, Ashwin asked the students how many of them spoke English, Tamil and Hindi.

When no response was received when asked about Hindi speakers, he said in Tamil, “I thought of saying that it (Hindi) is not a national language but an official language.”

Also Read: Was learning Hindi impossible in Tamil Nadu as FM Nirmala claims?

‘Leave issue to the people’

The video of the same became viral and it did not sit right with several people with one of them asking Ashwin to remain a “cricketer” and leave the language issue to the “people”.

“Why should ashwin talk like this.i don’t like this.let him remain as cricketer. I am his fan.More the languages u learn it’s good.there are translations available for any language immediately in our phone.whats the problem.leave the language issue to people,” an X user wrote.

A BJP leader, Chennai Councillor Uma Anandan went a bit far ahead and asked whether Ashwin is a national Cricketer or a Tamil Nadu cricketer and the same was echoed in another X post.

“With all due respect to him….He is NOT a NATIONAL player, but just an OFFICIAL player of a pvt profit oriented body called @BCCI which has exploited emotions of average Indian’s ‘National’ sentiments. And yes ! Hindi is an official language,” the user wrote.

Another person went on to criticise Ashwin by saying that he was an average cricketer.

“These all statements r part of his another game which he is making a plot from now onwards to join politics. If he would have said before while playing then it would have been better. These all r bcoz to come in the limelight . Nothing else. Ashwin was an average player,” the user wrote.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Krishna Hegde criticised Ashwin and told IANS that politics should be left in the hands of politicians.

Also Read: Why do Kannadigas oppose Hindi in Bengaluru?

Supporting voices

Following the campaign against the remarks by Ashwin, several people slammed those who criticised him.

“Entire BJP Tamil Nadu and Sanghis have started targeting him, some are calling him Anti National and DMK agent. This is the respect they have for a national hero. We stand with R Ashwin,” a user wrote.

“where is he wrong , this way BJP proving that thewant to promote Hindi as national language,” a user wrote.

Meanwhile, DMK MLA CVMP Ezhilarasan differed with Ashwin and told IANS that according to the law, there was no official language.

“Hindi cannot be considered the official language of India as a whole it may be an administrative language for the Union government and we are already opposing that,” he said.

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