Hindi-only Railway contest triggers language row

Hubballi: Indian Railways has landed in fresh controversy after inviting train travelogues only in Hindi, drawing criticism from non-Hindi states and linguistic groups. South Western Railway (SWR), with 84% of its network in Karnataka, urged passengers to participate in the contest organised by the railway ministry, but both insisted entries be submitted only in Hindi.

Kannada activists termed it another instance of Hindi imposition. Activists from Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam groups demanded the competition be opened to all 22 official languages recognised by the Constitution.

Jnanpith awardee and Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo said while the idea of inviting travel stories is commendable, restricting it to Hindi is unjustified. “If Railways think Hindi is our national language, my language Konkani is no less national,” he said.

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Papu Dhare said holding the contest in only one language curtails free expression. “If entries are invited in all regional languages, Railways can better understand diverse voices. In Karnataka, Hindi is introduced only as a third language from class 6, so fluency is limited. If officials cannot read other languages, they should have a translation mechanism,” he said.

Telugu writer Mercy Margaret called it forced imposition, alleging discrimination against non-Hindi speakers. She noted that while Hindi-speaking states account for about 43.6% of the population, the remaining 56.4% deserve equal opportunity.

The Rail Yatra Vritant Puraskar has been awarded for over a decade for Hindi travelogues, with prizes ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000. Entries must be typed and submitted physically to Delhi. Railway rights activist Vishwanath Khanapur criticised the offline process, questioning the absence of digital submission options.
Union minister of state for railways V Somanna said he would raise the issue with the Railway Board and push to include all 22 official languages.