Watch | BJP councillor says sorry, then justifies threatening African national to learn Hindi or else...
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Watch | BJP councillor says sorry, then justifies threatening African national to learn Hindi or else...")
Renu Chaudhary Photograph: (Combination created using screenshots from Renu Chaudhary videos (X, Instagram))
A Delhi BJP councillor, Renu Chaudhary, went viral after threatening an African football coach to learn Hindi or face a park ban. The clip sparked outrage online. She later apologised, claiming it was about communication and not racism.
A BJP councillor is going viral after a video of her threatening an African national to learn Hindi or be kicked out of a public park was shared online. The BJP councillor, identified as Renu Chaudhary, shared the now-viral video on her own Instagram page, without realising the backlash she would be subjected to. Now, she has issued an apology, but the video is still making the rounds, sparking anger. Here's all you need to know.
BJP councillor's Hindi ultimatum
In the video that was recorded in the capital Delhi, Chaudhary can be seen warning an African national to learn Hindi or else he would not be allowed inside the public park where he teaches football. The man, as per reports, has been living in India for the past 15 years and works as a private football coach. "You still haven't learnt Hindi. Why didn't you? If you don't learn Hindi within a month, you will be barred from using the park," the BJP councillor warned him.
In the video, bystanders can be heard laughing at what they initially thought was banter. However, Chaudhary soon doubles down, saying, "This is not something to laugh at. I am serious about this. I warned him eight months ago. If you are earning money in this country, you should learn the language of this country as well."
"I warned him eight months ago. That time I let him go after the people living in the society requested me to, as he teaches their children," she added.
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Internet explodes, calls her 'sick'
The internet went completely bonkers over the video, with many calling the politician's act "sick".
Others pointed out that Chaudhary herself used English words in her so-called warning. "The madam herself is speaking every third word in English," said one user.
"How come these Jokers are allowed to talk like this, who is she to order anyone learning Hindi," asked another.
A third person pointed out that intolerance like this “is the reason people in foreign countries hate such Indians when they immigrate there.”
BJP councillor apologises over the learn Hindi row
Following the backlash, the BJP councillor has issued an explanation. In a video, she claimed that her intention was not to threaten but to try to help ease the communication between foreign nationals and local authorities.
"What happened was that I had asked him eight months ago to pay revenue, as that was an MCD park, and he was using it for commercial activities. Since he was charging children for football lessons, I asked him to pay revenue to the MCD. He told me that he doesn't understand Hindi. The MCD official had also said that since he didn't know Hindi, they were finding it difficult to communicate with him," she said.
Renu Chaudhary said that she had even offered to help arrange a tutor for the African national. "I offered to arrange a tutor for him, so he could learn basic Hindi. And I will pay for that. But he didn't pay any heed to this." Doubling down, she added, "I don't think whatever I said was wrong. Most of the people in our country speak Hindi, so there is nothing wrong (for foreigners) in learning the language."
