Hubli (Karnataka) [India], April 28 (ANI): After the Twitter spat between Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep over the Hindi’s status as the national language, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday extended support to Sudeep saying that regional language is the most important.
Speaking to media persons here, Bommai said, “What Kiccha Sudeep said was correct. A regional language is the most important as a state is formed on linguistic bases.”
He further added that everyone should understand and respect what Sudeep has said.
“The Mother tongue or the regional language of the concerned state is supreme. Everyone should understand and respect that. Our States have been formed on a linguistic basis. So the concerned state language or the mother tongue should get prominence and supremacy. Everyone should understand and respect that,” Bommai said.
In Bengaluru, members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organisation, were detained by the police during their protest against Ajay Devgn for his Hindi national language statement.
Earlier today, former Chief Ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah, also commented on Devgn and Sudeepa’s Twitter exchange.
Taking to Twitter, Kumaraswamy wrote, “Actor Kiccha Sudeep saying that Hindi is not a National Language is correct. There is nothing to find fault in his statement. Actor Ajay Devgn is not only hyper in nature but also shows his ludicrous behaviour.”
He attacked the Central government for doing language politics and said Devgan is “blabbering as a mouthpiece of the BJP’s Hindi nationalism agenda”.
“From the beginning, Hindi-based political parties at the Centre have been making efforts to destroy regional languages. Congress which started surprising regional languages is being continued by the BJP,” he tweeted.”
“Ajaya Devgan’s blabbered as a mouthpiece of BJP’s Hindi Nationalism of one nation, one tax, one language and one government,” Kumaraswamy said in a subsequent tweet.
He further said if a large population speaks Hindi, it does not mean, it becomes the national language.
Ajay Devgan must realise that Kannada cinema is outgrowing the Hindi film industry, he added.
“Just because a large population speaks Hindi, it doesn’t become a national language. Less than nine states, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, have Hindi as 2nd, 3rd language or not even that. This being situation what is the truth in Ajay Devgan’s statement? What do you mean by not to dub?” he questioned in another tweet.
“Devgan must realise that Kannada cinema is outgrowing Hindi film industry. Because of encouragement by Kannadigas Hindi cinema has grown. Devgan shouldn’t forget that his first movie ‘Phool aur Kaante’ ran for a year in Bengaluru,” he tweeted further.
While Siddaramaiah said, “Hindi was never and will never be our National Language. It is the duty of every Indian to respect the linguistic diversity of our Country. Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of. I am proud to be a Kannadiga!!”
Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, who’s awaiting the release of his upcoming film, ‘Runway 34’, on Friday, got into a war of words with South star Kichcha Sudeepa after the latter’s comment that Hindi is no longer India’s national language.
As per media reports, during an event, Sudeepa stated that “Hindi is no more a national language.” Following this, Devgn took to his Twitter handle and expressed his views on Sudeepa’s comment.
In Hindi, he wrote, “Kiccha Sudeep, my brother, according to you, if Hindi is not our national language then why do you release your native language [mother tongue] films by dubbing them in Hindi? Hindi was, is and always will be our mother tongue and national language. Jan Gan Man.” (ANI)