Hindi-only sessions: Kerala women legislators walk out of NCW workshop
Faridabad/New Delhi: Protesting the exclusive use of Hindi and the total lack of translation facilities during a two-day national leadership event, a delegation of female MLAs from Kerala staged a walkout before the workshop concluded.
The capacity-building initiative for women legislators was organised in Faridabad by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and inaugurated on Monday by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. However, representatives from non-Hindi-speaking states expressed strong frustration over their inability to comprehend or contribute to the proceedings.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Kerala Assembly Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman voiced disappointment regarding the lack of accommodation for non-Hindi delegates.
“We attended the programme expecting that, as legislators, we would get some new suggestions and practical guidance on how to effectively participate in legislative proceedings,” she said.
Usman highlighted the stark departure from standard protocol observed at major national gatherings. “Normally, when national-level conferences are held, considering that India is a diverse country, some arrangements are made to accommodate participants from South India and the Northeast. But here, there was no such arrangement.”
The Kerala delegation comprised Deputy Speaker Shanimol Usman, Ministers Bindu Krishna and K A Thulasi, along with MLAs K K Rema, Fathima Thahliya, Vidya Balakrishnan and Usha Vijayan.
According to the lawmakers, the structure offered virtually no room for interaction or debate. MLA Fathima Thahliya pointed out that the agenda consisted of consecutive lectures without an open-house segment.
“When they continued with similar sessions again on Wednesday morning, we raised some doubts and concerns,” she said.
The legislators noted that the NCW chairperson remained silent when these issues were brought to light. Emphasising that their objection was structural rather than linguistic, one representative said, “The problem is not the Hindi language. Rather, the Commission did not take steps to include all MLAs at the national level.”
The friction escalated following a confrontation with legislators from Hindi-speaking regions. The Kerala members stated that an MLA from a Hindi-speaking state challenged them, remarking that if they did not know Hindi, he could teach them. Other delegates reportedly shouted that Hindi was the national language and insisted that discussions would proceed solely in Hindi, followed by chants of “Jai Shri Ram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” inside the hall.
Shortly after the exchange, the Kerala members exited the hall ahead of the final session and closing ceremony. The National Commission for Women has yet to issue an official response.
PTI