Journalism of Courage
The annual celebration of Hindi Diwas commemorates September 14, 1949, the day when the Constituent Assembly of India took the decision to make Hindi the official language of the Union government, while English was to hold the status of associate language for 15 years. In Pic: Protest against the Hindi Diwas at Malleshwaram, Bengaluru. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)
It was a compromise, famously called the Munshi-Ayyangar formula, wherein English along with Hindi was made the official language of India for a period of 15 years. At the completion of the period, Hindi would replace English as the only language to be used for official purposes. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)
When the 15 year period came to an end protests broke out over the fear of imposition of Hindi in large parts of non-Hindi speaking India which led to Centre passing the Official Languages Act, which stated that English would continue to be upheld as official language along with Hindi. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)
The government has made several efforts to propagate Hindi as the unifying language of India, the celebration of Hindi Diwas being one among them. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the 2nd All India Official Language Conference organised on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, in Surat on Wednesday. On the occasion of Hindi Diwas, Shah highlighted the significance of the Hindu language in ‘uniting’ the nation. (PTI Photo)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives in Surat for a conference on 'Hindi Diwas'. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that Hindi has brought India special honour globally and that its simplicity and sensitivity always attract people. (PTI Photo)
Former Karnataka CM H. D. Kumaraswamy with Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs stage a protest against the celebration of Hindi Diwas near, Gandhi statue outside Karnataka Assembly in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo)
Kannada activists raise slogans during a protest against the celebration of Hindi Diwas, at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. Several states in the country's south are especially sensitive to the language debate because they were founded on the bedrock of linguistic sub-nationalism after intense and prolonged campaigns. (PTI Photo)
Kannada activists raise slogans during a protest against the celebration of Hindi Diwas, at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo)
