NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin made a strong statement as chief guest at a university event in Tamil Nadu, saying: Hindi is not the national language of India, but simply an official language.
He made the comments on Thursday while attending the convocation ceremony of a private university. During the event, Ashwin asked the students which language they preferred for their speech.
While some opted for English, most preferred Tamil. Interestingly, there was no response when he mentioned Hindi.
“Hindi? There is no answer. I thought I should clarify: it is not our national language, but an official one,” the former Indian bowler said in Tamil.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai also validated off-spinner’s comment, saying, “Correct. It is not our national language what Annamalai is also telling you. It is not just my dear friend Ashwin who has to say “That’s not the national language.” “It was a linking language, it’s a language of convenience.”
Ashwin, the second highest wicket-taker in Indian Test cricket, recently announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket.