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Begin the change from Gujarat, Telangana leaders dare Amit Shah

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Telangana is considered as mini-India because of its true cosmopolitan nature and the language sentiments here not being as strong as in Tamil Nadu or Karnataka, but Union Home Ministers Amit Shahs recent statement that Hindi should be the alternative to English for communication among Indians has drawn the ire of all.

Political parties and academicians see this as an attempt to impose a particular language on India though unity in diversity is the country’s strength. They warn that this regional chauvinism will boomerang.

Some political leaders have slammed the BJP for what they call its double-standards on the language issue, and dared the party to start imposing Hindi from Gujarat.

The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has come down heavily on the BJP for doing politics over language, saying the saffron party wants to decide not only what one should eat and wear, but also the language one should communicate in.

“Why don’t we let people of our great nation decide what to eat, what to wear, who to pray to and what language to speak,” said TRS working President K.T. Rama Rao, who warned that language chauvinism or hegemony will boomerang.

He also believes that rejecting English will be a great disservice to the youngsters of this nation who have global aspirations.

“Already our students in different states are missing the English language to be competent. While it is the wish and will of citizens to practice what they want, imposition is not right. After Amit Shah spoke, we have seen on national channels many BJP MPs toeing the line of the �one nation one language’ theory. That’s more dangerous than the agenda Amit Shah has brought. This questions the identity of states and different regional languages,” TRS leader Manne Krishank told IANS.

He also believes that the BJP is adopting dual standards on the language issue.

“In February, the Gujarat government took a decision that all sign boards should be in Gujarati. The government of India ruled by the BJP is pushing states that they should practice Hindi, whereas Gujarat is talking about Gujarati. Instead of preaching states down south, they should start from Gujarat if they really believe in practicing what the preach. Let them start from Gujarat,” said Krishank, who is the convenor of the social media wing of the TRS and also chairman of the Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation (TSMD).

“It’s an absolutely uncalled for remark by Amit Shah against the very spirit of the Indian Constitution. Not just the federal concept of the Constitution, but the very spirit of unity in diversity. Enforcing a particular language upon the entire country, particularly in southern India, is an attempt of expansionist imperialism.

“I mean, they want to somehow take control of the region and therefore they are using language now. But I think India is mature enough to understand this dubious politics of region, religion and now again language. This is essentially to establish their dominance,” said senior Congress leader Dasoju Sravan Kumar.

He believes there is no language problem in almost the entire south India.

“You don’t see language problems, particularly in the context of Telangana, where there are people who speak Urdu and Hindi. There are people who come from all over India — Gujaratis, Parsis, Rajasthanis, Tamilians, Malayalis and others.

Telangana is like a mini-India where people come from various religions, regions and languages. Per se, this kind of Hindi enforcement by the government of India will only boomerang and Telangana will strongly extend the rebuttal,” said Sravan Kumar, who is a national spokesman of the Congress.

“Language is part of the DNA. How can my DNA be changed just because Amit Shah enforces something? Everybody speaks their mother tongue based on culture, history and traditions. And you suddenly come and say you should speak in Hindi. First you change Gujaratis, and then come to us,” added the Congress leader.

Academician K. Nageshwar has also found fault with the Union minister’s statement.

“Diversity of language, culture, tradition, belief, faith, customs and an underlying unity is India’s true soul. Don’t convert India into a hegemonic regimented society,” said Nageshwar.

He reminded Amit Shah that there is no single language of India. There are several languages of India and linguistic diversity demands equal treatment of all.

The former member of legislative council observed that promoting a language that advantages one set of Indians over others is a recipe for division over diversity.

He wondered why can’t Amit Shah talk of making any south Indian language mandatory in Hindi-speaking states to forge national unity.

“It’s my choice. Let me speak what I want to speak. Why are you forcing me to speak Hindi? It makes no sense. If somebody wants to learn, they are anyway learning. These days there is so much awareness.

“Tamilians are also learning Hindi if they like and if they think that it helps them in business. Language is not a national identity. Language is a medium of communication,” said Sravan Kumar, who also served as assistant professor in human resource management at the Institute of Public Enterprise.

“If you go to Gujarat, how many people speak Hindi there? They speak Gujarati. How many people in Rajasthan speak Hindi? They speak Rajasthani. In Maharashtra they speak Marathi. Language enforcement is essentially some kind of expansionist thinking, imperialist thinking. This is our language and all should practice it. This is a sort of tyrannical and dictatorial tendency,” he said.

Krishank is of the view that the talk of Hindi as alternative language to English is BJP’s style of politics.

“First food, then dress and now language. We have seen it in Karnataka. Hijab, Hilal and now Hindi. They are doing triple H politics,” he remarked.

The TRS leader also reminded Amit Shah that Hindi is spoken in different states differently.

“Someone from Bihar speaks one Hindi, someone from Uttar Pradesh speaks another Hindi. We in Hyderabad speak Deccani which is a different dialect from Hindi. If their �nahin’ is �na’ for someone, it is �nakko’ for me. It’s �Bhao’ in Maharashtra and it’s �Bhai’ in another place.

“More than necessity or anything, comfort level has to be seen. For instance, when Nirmala Sitharaman speaks in Parliament in English, it is understood. We appreciate that she is a good orator, but when she speaks Hindi, she makes so many mistakes. It looks as if she is speaking some other language. This is how it is.

“If tomorrow a Hyderabadi goes and speaks, it will be totally different. In Bollywood movies, Hyderabadi Hindi is shown for comedians. What they are trying to do is mere politics. Imposition of politics through language,” Krishank said.

He believes that it also matters with whom one is communicating.

“If we are visiting another state, whom we are communicating with? If I am communicating with an auto rickshaw driver it is different, but what if I am going for a meeting of corporate heads. Are they going to make it mandatory for every corporate industry to work in Hindi? If I am going to an MNC in Mumbai to work, will I go and give an interview to the MD in Hindi,” he asked.

Crime

WBSSC recruitment: Calcutta HC to hear contempt petition against Bengal govt today

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Kolkata, April 23: The Calcutta High Court will hear the contempt petition against the West Bengal government in connection with the cash for job case on Wednesday.

The Calcutta High Court’s divisional bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi will hear the contempt petition against the state government for failing to implement the Supreme Court’s order.

The state government is supposed to tell the court why it is taking so long to implement the Supreme Court’s order.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also supposed to clarify to the same division bench on why their investigating officials have not yet completed the process of interrogation of those candidates who have already been identified as “tainted”.

Notably, the job losers’ protest in front of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) office continued for the third day on Wednesday. They are seeking the publication of lists segregating “genuine” and “tainted” candidates.

In a major development, the protesters allowed WBSSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar, stuck in his office for the last 45 hours as all the entry and exit gates of the commission’s office were blocked since the beginning of their protests, to leave the office on Wednesday morning.

Last year, the bench had cancelled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs, which is the entire panel of WBSSC for 2016. The state government approached the Supreme Court challenging the order.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court division bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld the order of the Calcutta High Court last year and also accepted the observation that the entire panel had to be cancelled because of the state government and the commission’s failure to segregate the “genuine” candidates from the “tainted” ones.

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Kashmir mourns massacre of civilians with bandh; 2 locals, 2 foreigners among 16 killed by terrorists

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Srinagar, April 23: A pall of gloom descended on Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as widespread condemnation and a complete protest shutdown followed the brutal killing of 16 people in Tuesday’s terror attack.

The 16 dead included 2 locals and 2 foreigners who were among the tourists caught in Tuesday’s deadly carnage by terrorists.

All trade, travel, industry, transport and educational institutions remained shut in the entire Valley on Wednesday after political, religious, social and professional organisations condemned the brutal killing of innocent people by terrorists in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon.

Horrifying details are now emerging about the beastly behaviour of the killers.

Eyewitnesses said the terrorists separated the men from the women and children.

The men were told to recite the ‘Kalima (A Muslim prayer)’. Those identified as non-Muslims were shot at point blank range while two locals, who reportedly protested against the brutal and inhuman behaviour of the killers were also shot dead.

Tourists mainly belonging to Karnataka, Maharashtra, UP and Gujarat were the victims of the terror attack.

Reports said the two locals had entered into an argument with the killers about their beastly behaviour of killing innocent civilians.

The dead include a Navy officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal of Haryana, who was married on April 16. An IB officer, Manish Ranjan from Bihar is also among the slain civilians.

The eyewitnesses said the survivors were so frightened and mortified that when the security forces reached the spot that is 6 kms from Pahalgam town, the survivors started weeping and wailing as the terrorists had also come wearing Indian Army fatigues.

The survivors calmed down only after the security personnel assured them that they were Indian security forces.

The carnage has shaken the conscience of the locals as protests, condemnation, candlelight marches and a widespread mourning descended on the Valley as the news of brutal, gruesome and cowardly massacre of innocent people spread here.

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah chaired a high level security review meeting in Raj Bhawan here on Tuesday night.

HM Shah is visiting the terror attack site today morning.

A massive anti-terrorist operation has been started in Pahalgam to hunt down the killers of innocent people.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi reached New Delhi after cutting short his visit to Saudi Arabia.

Security in the entire J&K has been tightened in the wake of Tuesday’s attack, which is the worst ever terrorist attack after the Pulwama attack of 2019.

This is also the worst ever attack on tourists after separatist violence started here in 1990s.

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Jammu and Kashmir: One tourist killed, 12 injured in Pahalgam terror attack, CM Omar Abdullah said, ‘Shocked’

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Srinagar, April 22: One tourist was killed in a terrorist attack at Pahalgam hill station in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. At the same time, 12 others including tourists and locals were injured.

Terrorists attacked a group of tourists in the Baisaran area of ​​​​Pahalgam hill station, killing one tourist and injuring nine other tourists and three locals.

According to the information received, 2 to 3 terrorists wearing army uniforms started firing at the tourists riding horses in the Baisaran area at around 2.30 pm. Baisaran is a small grassland 3 to 4 km from Pahalgam market and tourists resort to horses to reach here, as there is no motorable road to reach here.

“One tourist was killed and 12 others, including tourists and locals, were injured in the attack. The injured were rushed to Pahalgam hospital from where three seriously injured were shifted to Srinagar for specialised treatment,” an official said. He said security forces have cordoned off the area to trace the attackers.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on Xpost, “I am incredibly shocked. This attack on our visitors is a despicable act. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and despicable. No words are enough to condemn. I offer my condolences to the families of the deceased. I have spoken to my colleague Sakina Itoo and she has left for the hospital to oversee arrangements for the injured. I am returning to Srinagar immediately.”

CM Abdullah wrote in another post, “The number of casualties is still being ascertained, so I do not want to go into those details. They will be officially disclosed when the situation becomes clearer. Needless to say, this attack is far bigger than any attack on civilians in recent years.”

PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti wrote on Twitter, “I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which tragically left five people dead and many injured. Such violence is unacceptable and must be condemned. Historically, Kashmir has warmly welcomed tourists, making this rare incident extremely worrying. A thorough investigation is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice and investigate possible security lapses. Ensuring the safety of visitors is paramount, and steps must be taken to prevent future attacks. Our condolences are with the victims and their families.”

Reacting to the incident, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed deep outrage and described the attack as “cowardly”. He assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that those responsible for this heinous act will not be spared. He has spoken to the DGP and security officials. Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police teams have reached the area and started a search operation.

He said in a post on Twitter, “I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam. I assure the people that those behind this heinous attack will not be spared. Have spoken to the DGP and security officials. Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police teams have reached the area and started a search operation. Have directed the district administration and health officials to provide immediate medical facilities to those admitted in Pahalgam. An injured tourist has been rushed to GMC Anantnag. I pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured.”

This is the first terrorist attack on tourists in the Kashmir Valley in 2025, while the tourist season in the valley is increasing rapidly at this time.

All the hotels in Srinagar city and tourist resorts in Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg are fully occupied.

An unprecedented number of tourists are expected to visit Jammu and Kashmir this year and according to official estimates, around two crore tourists will visit the Union Territory this year.

Tuesday’s attack comes at a time when registration for this year’s Amarnath Yatra is underway across the country.

This year the yatra will begin on July 3 and end on August 9, coinciding with the festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan, respectively.

During his visit to Jammu and Kashmir last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had chaired a high-level security review meeting where he had ordered complete eradication of terrorism with special focus on the Jammu division.

He had also given directions to ensure zero tolerance towards infiltration. The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, IB Director, Army Chief, GoCs of all corps in Jammu and Kashmir, chiefs of paramilitary forces, Jammu and Kashmir DGP and intelligence officials.

Recently, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had stressed that to completely free Jammu and Kashmir from the curse of terrorism, the entire ecosystem of terrorism, including terrorists, their overground workers (OGWs) and supporters, will have to be dealt with.

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