Modi's Bharatiya Janaya party (BJP) government has been accused of being an agenda of "Hindi imposition" and "Hindi imperialism", and non-Hindi speaking states in south and east India have been fighting back.
One morning in November, MV Thangavel, an 85-year-old farmer from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, stood outside a local political party office and held a banner aloft, addressing the prime minister.
"Modi government, central government, we don't want Hindi ... get rid of Hindi," it read. Then he doused himself in paraffin and set himself alight. Thangavel did not survive.
"The BJP is trying to destroy other languages by trying to impose Hindi and make it one language on the basis of its 'One nation, one everything' policy," said MK Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, in a recent speech.
In India, one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, language has long been a contentious issue. But under Modi, there has been a push for Hindi to be the country's dominant language, be it through an attempt to impose mandatory Hindi in schools or by conducting matters of government entirely in the language. Modi's speeches are given exclusively in Hindi and more than 70% of cabinet papers are now prepared in Hindi.
"If there is one language that has the ability to string the nation together in unity, it is the Hindi language," said Amit Shah, the powerful home minister and Modi's closest ally, in 2019.
According to Ganesh Narayan Devy, one of India's most renowned linguists, who dedicated his life to recording its more than 700 languages and thousands of dialects, the recent attempts to impose Hindi were both "laughable and dangerous".
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin December 26, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin December 26, 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
The Filter Cast-iron alternatives to Le Creuset for less
Le Creuset's colourful pans have long topped the wishlists of amateur and professional cooks.
Money hacks How to find a pet-sitter you can trust
Unless you have family, a friend or a neighbour who can care for your pet when you're away, you'll need to find a pet-sitter you can trust.
Pensions An A to Z of how to save for your retirement
Everything you need to know to plan for your future and make the most of your finances. Rupert Jones and Hilary Osborne report
'A fork in the road' AI's bid to help on laundry days at Europe's tech summit
This year's Web Summit in Lisbon was all about artificial intelligence and a robot sorting laundry.
Brexit So how could Labour improve EU ties for the sake of growth?
The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, said this week that Brexit had undermined the UK's economy, and urged the government to improve relations with the EU for the sake of growth.
Aviation Flying taxis: destined never to take off?
In a dreary November day in the Cotswolds, the VX4 - a cross between a plane and a helicopter - rose from an airport runway, hovered a few feet off the ground and set back down.
Property firm back in profit as workers return to offices
One of Britain's biggest property developers has provided further evidence of the return to office working, saying occupancy in its central London offices is at an all-time high and the value of its portfolio has returned to growth.
Analysis Summer of dark warnings from the Treasury may have cast a shadow on growth
It was hardly surprising that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, declared herself \"not satisfied\" with the news that the UK's GDP expanded by a measly 0.1% in the three months to September.
Contracting GDP adds to German woes as general election looms
Germany's looming general election will be fought against the backdrop of a stagnating economy, the European Commission has forecast, with GDP expected to have contracted in 2024.
UK economy slows amid jitters over Labour budget
The UK economy slowed to a near-standstill in the third quarter as uncertainty around Labour's first budget and high interest rates weighed on business and consumer spending.
