Is Modi govt's move to impose Hindi for official use on social media justified?

Imposition of Hindi, Narendra Modi, NDA government, Rajnath Singh, MHA, union home ministry, social media, government officials

GN Bureau | June 20, 2014



The union home ministry recently sent a circular stating that officials of all union ministries, departments, corporations, or banks should use Hindi on social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook, Google and blogs.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi has been first off the block in criticising the move, saying, “This is a beginning to impose Hindi on a person against his wishes.” Most southern and northeastern states are seen as against any move to ‘impose’ Hindi forcibly. West Bengal, too, has shown disinclination in the past.

With nearly half the country’s population not visibly comfortable with the language beyond some phrases and words from Bollywood films, is the order justified?

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