KARAIKAL: National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Chairperson Bhagwan Lal Sahni stirred a controversy on Wednesday saying Hindi was the national language and refused to take questions from media in any other language. Also, Sahni ignored requests to speak in English and continued to deliver his address in Hindi.
“I want to speak in our mother tongue Hindi because mother tongue is the best medium of expression. Hindi is also our National Language I want my mother tongue to prosper in all ways possible.” Though Sahni grasped what reporters asked in English, he directed his colleague Sudha Yadhav to respond. Sahni was in Karaikal to inaugurate a building for ONGC’s Association of Welfare of Backward Classes, and Most Backward Classes.
The reporters who were eager to ask questions to Sahni were disappointed. A few reporters from the vernacular media were irked over his address and asked questions in Tamil which left Sahni in confusion. The reporters told him that Tamil was their mother tongue.
Mu Ga Jeeva, member of Pagutharivalar Kazhgam (Rationalist Movement), condemned Sahni. “This is nothing but ignorance and arrogance, claiming Hindi as National language. He had come to a program where rationalist Periyar was honoured (Sahni garlanded his statue earlier) but wanted to impose Hindi. He should have respected the sentiments of locals, and addressed in the link language of English, which people understand.”