Amid fire from various political parties and chief ministers for imposing the use of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states, the union home ministry Friday said it "didn't seek to impose communication in Hindi on states which do not speak the language".
"The instructions of department of official languages have only reiterated the existing Government of India's policy on the use of Hindi, in which the use of Hindi is compulsory in government's communication only in the Hindi-speaking states," the government said in a statement.
This uproar came after Bharatiya Janata Party-led government directed central government employees and employees of central undertakings and banks to use Hindi or both Hindi and English on their official web pages in social media like Twitter, blogs, YouTube, Facebook and Google.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha, her Jammu and Kashmir counterpart Omar Abdullah, among others, opposed this move, terming it "imposition of Hindi".
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app