South Indians, learn Hindi: says Justice Katju

India is a country of great diversity, and it has many languages and dialects. While I regard all of them as equal and deserving equal respect, the truth is that for certain historical reasons Hindustani, or simple Hindi, has become predominant, and I have been appealing to all Indians, particularly south Indians, to learn it. My detailed reasons are given in the articles below, hence I am not repeating them
I am totally opposed to imposition of Hindi, but I appeal to Tamilians and other south Indians to learn it because that is in their own interest. They will face a lot of difficulties if they do not know it when they go to other Indian states.  Not only is it the link language of India, it is even spoken in Pakistan ( where it is called Urdu ), Fiji, etc
When I was the Chief Justice of Madras High Court I used to sometimes go to sit on the Madurai bench of the Court. While in Madurai I once went to a shop in a market, and heard the Tamilian shopkeeper speaking to a customer in Hindi. I was surprised, and as I had picked up some Tamil, I asked the shopkeeper ” Evvalavu nalla Hindi pesreenga eppadi ? ” ( i.e. how are you speaking such good Hindi ? ). He replied in fluent Hindi ” Netaon ka apna agenda hota hai, magar mujhe apna dhandha karna hai ” ( i.e. Politicians have their own agenda, but I have to do my business ).
When I was a Judge in the Indian Supreme Court I sat on a bench with Justice H.K.Sema, a Naga. We often conversed in Hindi, and he told me that while there are 18 tribes in Nagaland, each having its own dialect, all Nagas also know Hindi.
I have given my reasons in these videos, which may be seen
After retiring as a Judge of the Supreme Court I became Chairman of the Press Council of india, and fixed a meeting of the PCI in Chennai. There I met the then Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalitha and told her that Tamilians should learn Hindi. She responded to me in fluent Hindi ” Main aapki bat se sahmat hun, par jab hum 1960s mein Hindi seekh rahe the tab kuch Uttar Bharat ke netaon ne hum par Hindi thopni chaahi, jiski ghor pratikriya hui, aur Tamilians ne Hindi seekhna chhod diya ”. I agreed with her that those north indian politicians who tried to impose Hindi were stupid and shortsighted, but all that is in the past, and we must now look forward.
I again appeal to all Indians to learn Hindustani

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