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Winning Bihar is crucial for the Congress, as is reclaiming its position in Hindi heartland states like UP and Madhya Pradesh, where it has been losing ground
The Maharashtra unit of Congress wants to support the anti-Hindi sentiment. However, at the national level, the party is uneasy. It believes any language-based violence is harmful. File pic/AP
The debate of “mother tongue vs Hindi” is becoming a major challenge for the Congress, which is caught between the desire to capture the Hindi heartland’s politics and the need to protect native languages.
The political landscape in Maharashtra has shifted dramatically with the unexpected alliance of cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. They shared the stage last week, smiling even as the Congress faced discomfort. Though Uddhav’s Shiv Sena and Congress are allies, they don’t see eye to eye on this issue, despite attempts to downplay their differences.
In Maharashtra, Maratha and Marathi pride are central to politics, placing the Congress in a tight spot. The Maharashtra unit of Congress wants to support the anti-Hindi sentiment, with some members attending the event. However, at the national level, the party is uneasy. It believes any language-based violence is harmful.
Furthermore, there are upcoming elections in Bihar, a key Hindi heartland state where the Congress aims to make a comeback. Every time Biharis or Hindi speakers are targeted in Maharashtra, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress in Bihar feel uncomfortable. This concern led the Congress in Delhi to downplay the incident.
This dilemma has struck the Congress twice. In the last Parliament session, when the DMK protested outside the Makar Dwaar against alleged Hindi imposition by the BJP in the South, Congress leaders did not join. Only Tamil Nadu Congress MPs like Karti Chidambaram and Manickam Tagore participated, while the Gandhis were absent, as many leaders from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were unhappy with the language conflict.
Winning Bihar is crucial for the Congress, as is reclaiming its position in Hindi heartland states like UP and Madhya Pradesh, where it has been losing ground.
The Congress is learning the hard way that what you say matters, and the language you say it in is equally important.
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als…Read More
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als… Read More
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