‘I challenge you...’: Guyana minister’s furious Hindi monologue in parliament impresses Indians online

Vikash Ramkisoon, a minister of the South American country Guyana, showcased his fluency in Hindi when he was questioned about his knowledge of the Indian language and the heritage. When one of the MPs asked about his command in Hindi, Ramkisoon switched to Hindi in the National Assembly, saying, “Respected sir, whoever thinks I cannot speak in Hindi, I will debate them in Hindi."

In a circulated clip on social media, the minister was seen furiously responding to the MP for questioning his command on the language as he quickly switched his language and said in Hindi, "Respected member of the parliament. While I am standing here, I challenge you. You choose the topic of debate, the place and the level for it, and I'll be there to argue with you without any piece of paper in my hand."

The High Commission of India in Georgetown shared the clip on X and wrote, Our Hindi echoed in Guyana’s Parliament. The commission highlighted that Ramkisoon gave a “befitting reply" to the opposition member’s comment.

In Guyana, around 40 per cent of the population is Indo-Guyanese. They are descended from nearly 239,000 Indian labourers who arrived between 1838 and 1917. They were primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Although Guyana's official language is English, Hindi and Bhojpuri have been the crucial languages.