Earlier this Saturday, singer Srinivas responded to an X post criticising the lack of Hindi signboards on the roads of Tamil Nadu. The post reads, "Entered Tamil Nadu border and travelled nearly 100 kilometres now, yet to see a Hindi board. Unreal consistency."
In his response, the singer vociferously defended Tamil Nadu's linguistic identity against the perceived imposition of Hindi. He quickly responded to the sarcastic post and extended a characteristic Tamil welcome, while firmly rejecting Hindi as India's link language.
"Welcome to Tamil Nadu. We are most hospitable." He also wrote what seems to essentially mean that the state nurtures those who come to it.
He continued, "Hindi can never be the link language of India. English should be like the great Lee Kuan Yew said. Our leaders should learn from him and so should people like you."
The singer's reference to Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister, points to the late statesman's perspective on language policy. Lee advocated for English as a neutral and pragmatic link language in multi-ethnic Singapore to foster unity and facilitate international communication, rather than favouring any single ethnic language. Srinivas's analogy suggests that India, with its vast linguistic diversity, would benefit from a similar approach.
The singer’s strong stance immediately drew a sharp retort from another user who challenged his authority on the matter.
The user wrote, "You just stick to singing! Whom are you trying to please?? Has Hindi not helped you make money?" The user went on to label Srinivas a "hypocrite," alleging that he profits from singing in Hindi while simultaneously opposing its widespread use. Srinivas has a significant repertoire of Hindi songs, having lent his voice to numerous Hindi films. The singer’s notable Bollywood tracks include ‘Kaisi Hai Ye Rut’ from Dil Chahta Hai, ‘Mitwa’ from Lagaan, and 'Hey Kaala Bandar’ from Delhi-6.
His versatility across languages has made him a popular singer nationwide, making the "hypocrite" accusation particularly pointed.
This social media skirmish reignites the long-standing and often contentious debate between Hindi and Tamil, a linguistic divide that has deep historical roots.
People in Tamil Nadu have disputed the national government's efforts to make Hindi the country's sole official language. The sentiment against Hindi imposition remains a potent force in the state’s political and social landscape. Srinivas's comments have once again brought the complex issue of language, identity, and national policy to the forefront of public discourse.