Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale’s zero-hour submission in Rajya Sabha, accusing the centre of “imposing” Hindi while flagging Meghalaya Governor’s decision to deliver his address to the State Assembly in Hindi, raised tempers. This was when Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar intervened to say that Article 351 of the Constitution provided that it shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, inviting howls of protest.
Mr. Gokhale said that such an imposition was against the federal structure and English must be used for government business. The Trinamool member pointed out that at the start of the current Budget session of the Meghalaya Assembly, it was announced that the Governor would deliver his address to the House in Hindi.