Mahesh Bhatt against imposing a language on others

In an apparent support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call for equal importance to all regional languages, acclaimed filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt on Friday said no one should impose a language on others and must allow everyone to speak their mother tongue.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had in September spoken in favour of Hindi as a unifying language for the entire country.

Bhatt, however, did not name Shah or any politician.

Asserting that great seers of the country had advocated speaking to a person in his or her own language, he said the greatness of India lies in its diversity.

"As long as filmmakers and artistes are there, we will dare to hope and devive those who tell us to speak only one language," Bhatt said at the inauguration of the 25th edition of Kolkata International Film Festival here.

He quoted Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Sister Nivedita and Swami Vivekananda to buttress his point.

On the occasion of 'Hindi Diwas' in September, Shah had advocated a common language for the country and said as Hindi is spoken the most, it can unite the whole country.

The BJP president had also asked everyone to use their native languages as much as possible, but said efforts will be made to expand Hindi's reach to different parts of India.

Shah had said, while diversity in languages is the strength of India, a national language is needed so that foreign languages and cultures do not overpower the country's own.

Speaking at the opening of the festival where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee played the host, Bhatt said Ramakrishna Paramhansa had the courage to say that "We must speak to every man in their own language."