It could create rift between people: Salman Khurshid criticizes Shah over Hindi Divas comment

Coming down heavily on Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his "only Hindi can unite the country" comment, Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Saturday said that the comment might create a rift between the people.

"If you try to trample other languages and bring out just one, then there is a possibility that people might not accept it. It could create a rift between them," he told ANI.

He further said that the way in which the unity of the country is being jeopardised is "disheartening".

His statement came in the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Hindi Diwas stressing on the need to have a unifying language that becomes a mark of India's identity in the world and keeps "foreign languages" from finding a place in the country.

Earlier today, Shah tweeted: "India is a country of different languages and every language has its own importance but it is very important to have a language which should become the identity of India in the world. If one language can unite the country today, it is the widely-spoken Hindi language."

Shah also faced the wrath of opposition parties for his comments. DMK chief MK Stalin has demanded him to take back the statement and said that such remark "poses a danger to the national unity.