What is the controversy surrounding Ravichandran Ashwin's recent comment on Hindi language?

Ravichandran Ashwin, whose recent retirement surprised the cricket community and his fans, stated that Hindi is "not our national language but an official language" - a remark that sparked a debate. Ashwin made this comment during the graduation ceremony of a private engineering college in Tamil Nadu, where the topic of Hindi has always been sensitive and has elicited strong reactions. While addressing the students, Ashwin inquired if those present would be willing to ask questions in Hindi if they felt uncomfortable using English or Tamil.

"English students in the house - give me a yay," he urged, getting a loud cheer in reply. "Tamil" - at this, the students roared. "Okay, Hindi?" In response, the audience suddenly fell silent. "I thought I should say this. Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language," Ashwin went on to say, in Tamil.

Tamil Nadu: Former off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says, "...I thought I'd say it all. It's (Hindi) not our national language; It's an official language. Okay, anyway"

(09/01/2025) pic.twitter.com/bR47icWZEU

— IANS (@ians_india) January 10, 2025

Even though the audience didn't request Ashwin to speak in Hindi, his comment about the language sparked political controversy. Critics viewed it as a catalyst for ongoing discussions about linguistic identity, especially in Tamil Nadu, where there is a historical resistance to the imposition of Hindi.

The comment rapidly became a focal point, prompting responses from political figures. BJP leader Uma Anandan condemned Ashwin, stating, “DMK appreciating this won’t be a surprise. I want to ask him— is he a national cricketer or a Tamil Nadu cricketer?”

Ashwin’s comment attracted more attention because of his prior interactions with Hindi-speaking audiences. The cricketer runs a YouTube channel called Ash Ki Baat, which is aimed at his Hindi-speaking fans. The channel has over 126,000 subscribers, although Ashwin hasn't posted much lately, likely due to his cricketing responsibilities.

His remarks addressed a delicate issue in Tamil Nadu, where pride in the Tamil language and resistance to Hindi as a dominant language have been contentious for many years. Reactions to his statement have varied—some view it as a sincere observation, while others interpret it as a political position.

Also read| Yuzvendra Chahal, Shreyas Iyer spotted on ‘Bigg Boss 18’ set amid former’s divorce rumours with Dhanashree Verma