Veteran singer Anup Jalota has shared his thoughts on the ongoing language debate between Hindi and Marathi, asking people to respect every Indian language. His comments come during a time when tensions are rising in Maharashtra over the use of Hindi and Marathi in public and official spaces.
Anup Jalota: “We Love Marathi, But Hindi is Our Mother Tongue”
Speaking to media, Anup Jalota emphasized the value of every language spoken in India. While he expressed his deep appreciation for Marathi—saying he enjoys singing in the language—he also pointed out that Hindi plays a unique role in uniting the country.
“Every language in our country is important,” he said. “We love Marathi and I sing in it too. But Hindi is the mother tongue of India. We should speak it everywhere. Still, learning and speaking other languages is good for everyone.”
Jalota’s comments highlight the importance of linguistic harmony, especially in a country as diverse as India. He believes in promoting all Indian languages but also wants people to understand and respect Hindi’s national significance.
Background: Language Tensions in Maharashtra
The singer’s remarks come during a time of rising tension in Maharashtra. The conflict began after some members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were accused of using aggressive methods to push people to speak Marathi. This created unrest in the state and sparked a bigger debate about language identity and respect.
Some leaders and groups in Maharashtra have recently opposed a proposal to include Hindi as an optional third language in Marathi-medium and government-run schools. The proposal, suggested by the state government, has drawn criticism from both MNS leader Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray. They believe the move could hurt the importance of Marathi in the state.
Udit Narayan Also Speaks Up
Another well-known singer, Udit Narayan, also commented on the language issue. He called for mutual respect, both for the Marathi language and all Indian languages. “Maharashtra is my ‘Karma Bhoomi’ (the land where I work), so its language is very important to me,” he said. “But all the languages in our country deserve equal respect.”
Like Jalota, Udit Narayan supported the idea of embracing India’s linguistic diversity. He stressed that while regional languages must be preserved and respected, there should be no hatred or division over which language people speak.
A Call for Unity Through Language
Both Anup Jalota and Udit Narayan are urging people to move away from conflict and instead promote unity through language. They believe every Indian should be proud of their regional language, but also open to learning and using others, including Hindi, to bring the country together.
In a multilingual country like India, their message is simple: speak your mother tongue, respect all languages, and don’t let language become a reason for division.
