BJP ally Shiv Sena today jumped into the controversy ignited by the Union Home Ministry issuing directives on use of Hindi language, saying reports of Hindi being "banned" in Odisha Assembly are shocking. "In Odisha legislature, the Speaker instructed that Hindi not be used. He told a legislator not to speak in Hindi.

English is accepted as a substitute for Oriya language but not Hindi," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece "Saamana" said. "PM Narendra Modi has given Hindi a place of pride. He also addressed Bhutan Parliament in Hindi. At a time when Hindi is being given such importance, reports that there is a ban in Odisha Assembly on speaking in Hindi and asking questions in Hindi are shocking," it said. "If Narendra Modi as the PM does not promote Hindi then who else will," it said. "Agreed that English is a global language. But is it justified to give a secondary status to national language Hindi," the editorial asked.

The Sena comments come in the backdrop of the Union Home Ministry issuing directives to use Hindi for interactions on the social media and different voices emerging from regional parties on the issue. "In Mumbai, even if a Hindi speaker were to slip on a banana peel, the Hindi devotees in North say injustice is being done to them," it said. "Now, injustice has been done to Hindi in Odisha Assembly. They should train their guns there," it added.

Another circular announced prize money of Rs 2,000 to two employees who do their official work mostly in Hindi. Rs 1,200 and Rs 600 will be given to the second and third position holders respectively.

Guideline on Hindi 'injustice to other national languages': CPI(M)CPI(M) today attacked the Narendra Modi government for its directive on the use of Hindi as the medium for government communication on social media while seeking modification of the same. "Government should modify its policy and, along with Hindi, use other national languages as well as English for communication on social media," the party's Politburo said in a statement here.

The Modi government's decision to use Hindi as the sole medium of communication for government information on social media was "against the principle of linguistic equality and is an injustice to other national languages," it said. Read more

Nobody is forcing Hindi on anybody: M Venkaiah NaiduAs the Union Home Ministry's two circulars seeking to promote Hindi in the social media stirred up a big controversy, Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today said Hindi was not being forced on anyone and a "wrong propaganda" was on about Hindi imposition. "This is again a wrong propaganda going on; nobody is forcing Hindi on anybody...," Naidu, also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, told reporters here. "I'm for popularising more and more regional languages, giving them importance- that is the policy of this government. Read more