.jpg?rect=1%2C0%2C1820%2C1024&auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
Tamil actor Siddharth, most popularly known in Bollywood for starring in Rang De Basanti, has shared his opinion on Hindi language imposition in Indian schools. The recent draft version of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2019 has mandated compulsory learning of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states. Siddharth has reacted against the policy, saying that as a native Tamil speaker choosing to learn Hindi is different from being required to study it academically.
Siddharth took to his Twitter on Tuesday 4 June, writing, “There is a big difference between a native #Tamil speaker learning #Hindi vs being forced to study it and write exams in it. I speak 5 languages and understand 10. I wasn't forced to learn them and that's how it should be. #India is a mixture of great languages. Leave them be.”
In a second tweet, he added, “Nobody from #TamilNadu needs to learn #Hindi forcefully. They will learn it if and when the need arises, as is the case for any language other than the mother tongue. Any #Indian who wants to communicate abroad would choose to learn #English ahead of #Hindi. End of discussion. “
Siddharth is the latest among a variety of netizens and celebrities reacting to the language mandate. Earlier this week, Andhadhun star Ayushmann Khurrana had shared a blog post stating that “Hindi is not the national language.”
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)