'Hindi isn't our national language': Ashwin sparks language row
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has sparked a fresh language controversy by saying that Hindi is not the national language of India but the "official language."
He was speaking to students at a private college's graduation ceremony on Thursday when he made the comments.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed his statement, while Tamil Nadu's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) backed him.
Public response
Ashwin's statement and public reactions
While addressing the students at the 23rd Graduation Day of Rajalakshmi Engineering College in Kancheepuram, the former Man in Blue asked the audience which language they preferred for his speech.
The crowd responded heartily when he said English and Tamil, but not so much when he said Hindi.
It's after this that Ashwin said, "Hindi is not our national language."
Shortly after, clips from this event spread on social media, attracting varied reactions.
Reactions
'Why should Ashwin talk like this?'
One disappointed individual said, "Why should Ashwin talk like this? I don't like this. Let him remain a cricketer."
Another speculated these statements might be his strategy to enter politics in the future.
Notably, the decorated off-spinner recently bid adieu to international cricket, a decision that has raised eyebrows in many quarters for its abruptness.
Past incidents
Earlier, a Diljit Dosanjh fan sparked language controversy
Ashwin's remarks come on the heels of a similar controversy last month during a concert by Diljit Dosanjh in Bengaluru.
An attendee, Tanisha Sabherwal, shared her distressing experience of how the event turned into a "Kannada language row" for her.
Apparently, a woman accidentally pushed Sabherwal in the concert, after which she asked the woman to give her space. But, instead of being cordial, the woman allegedly asked Sabherwal to speak in Kannada.