Discussion needed with other CMs: Mamata on increased pitch for Hindi

Amid an ongoing debate over a heightened pitch for Hindi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she would hold discussions with her counterparts in other states for a "collective decision" in this regard.

She also said common people should be asked for their opinion on it.

"Our country is a vast country with different languages and mother tongues. I am not going to say anything about this (debate over Hindi) because I have to discuss it with other chief ministers. There will be a collective decision," Banerjee said at the state secretariat.

Banerjee was replying to queries regarding Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks over the importance of Hindi at an event in New Delhi.

Presiding over the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee earlier this month, Shah had said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that the medium of running the government is the official language, and this will definitely increase the importance of Hindi, according to a statement issued by the Union Home Ministry.

He had also informed the members that now 70 per cent of the agenda of the Cabinet is prepared in Hindi.