Kerala Leaders Scramble to Learn Hindi Before BJP National Council

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves during a public meeting in Thrissur, Kerala on Monday. (Photo: PTI)

Kerala BJP leaders may soon take inspiration from Ram Singh of “Gandhinagar Second Street” and his hai-hai-ing.

After all, the BJP national council is due to be held from 23 September to 25 September in the state. For Kerala BJP leaders who are excitedly looking forward to the event, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah are set to take part, a Hindi-Malayalam dictionary would probably be of great use.

Or so the recently concluded state-level meeting indicates.

With volunteers for the event chosen from across the state to make the national leaders’ 3-day stay hassle-free, the state committee believes that the members being able to converse well in English and particularly in Hindi is of utmost necessity. Who knows, someone might just ask Narendra Modi ji if he’d care for some salt-mango-tree!

Speaking to The News Minute, BJP spokesperson VV Rajesh confirmed that there is a directive in place that instructs the members to learn Hindi in whichever manner they choose to, at whatever pace they deem fit.

Pointing out that a majority of the people participating in the 3-day event are non-Keralites, Rajesh stressed the importance of Kerala leaders knowing at least enough Hindi to make casual conversation.

Though the party has already begun steps to prepare their members for the event, Rajesh makes it clear that it is a completely voluntary activity.

It is true that the party members in some constituencies have already begun to hold informal groups wherein they discuss and learn from each other. This does not mean that our members would at this point take Hindi speaking classes.

VV Rajesh, BJP spokesperson

According to him, the decision is an attempt to make the state leaders self-reliant.

Very few of us can converse in Hindi and we do not want to depend on someone else to convey our messages to the national leaders.

Toeing the line of the party spokesperson, BJP Wayanad district President Saji Shankar said that there was no compulsion on the part of the members to learn Hindi or English.

That being adept at speaking in Hindi and English would be an added advantage considering the participation of national leaders did come up at the state committee meeting last week. Particularly because we would be organising all the facilities including accommodation for the leaders. But there is no pressure on any members to learn the languages on an urgent basis. Neither are we planning to hold any Hindi-speaking classes.

Saji Shankar, BJP Wayanad District President

Though the state committee believes that speaking Hindi is an advantage, the members say that nobody will be kept away from the council meeting just for their lack of ability to converse in Hindi.

(The story has been published in an arrangement with The News Minute.)