DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand governor
Baby Rani Maurya
while flagging off a women’s bike rally in Dehradun on Friday, said that all events in
Raj Bhawan
are henceforth to be organised in
Hindi
.
Her instant decision came when the compere at the bike rally welcomed her in English to which she objected and enquired if the compere can speak in Hindi. After this, the event organisers changed the compere and proceeded with the event in Hindi.
Maurya and state forest minister Harak Singh Rawat were the chief guests of the bike rally that was flagged off from Raj Bhawan. As the two took to stage with Neha Sharma, director of Trikon Society, the NGO that had organised the event, the compere started the proceedings by saying, “We welcome you
governor
ma’am to today’s event…”.
Before the compere could finish her lines, Maurya objected to the use of English and interjected, “Yeh angrezi mein kyon kar rahi hain baat, Hindi mein karein (Why are you speaking in English? Speak in Hindi).”
As the compere fumbled with the interruption, Neha Sharma took the mike and started the event by greeting everyone present in Hindi.
Maurya, during her speech, too, stressed on the use of Hindi pointing out that “countries like Japan and China were successful as people of these countries did not feel ashamed of their mother tongue.”
“Kerela has 100% women literacy because there, the people are being taught in their mother tongue. If we, the north Indian people, have Hindi as our mother tongue, then we must speak Hindi with pride.
Even if foreigners come, we must speak in Hindi as they should know that we respect our mother tongue.” She added that “even though I know a bit of English myself — as mayor of Agra, I have visited 10-15 countries — I have learnt to respect the mother tongue.”
“I am announcing today that all events in Raj Bhawan will henceforth take place in Hindi. Speeches and compering in English will not be allowed,” said Maurya who added that “Hindi’s use should be encouraged as it is a language that touches the heart.”