NCW conclave in Delhi, furore in Kerala: ‘Centre forcing Hindi’

3 min readNew Delhi, ThiruvananthapuramUpdated: Sep 11, 2026 05:04 AM IST

A workshop by the National Commission for Women appears to have become the latest epicentre of a blazing language row. Three days after women legislators from Kerala boycotted a capacity-building workshop on “gender responsive governance for women legislators” to protest the exclusive use of Hindi for the programme, Chief Minister V D Satheesan has accused the Centre of “forcing Hindi at a national conclave and intimidating delegates from non-Hindi speaking states strikes at the core of our constitutional compact”.

The two-day workshop, held on September 7 and 8 at Taj Surajkund Resort, Faridabad, sparked a row after eight UDF legislators walked out. Taking to X, Satheesan condemned “the treatment meted out to Keralam’s delegation of women MLAs at the NCW workshop”.

“Forcing Hindi at a national conclave and intimidating delegates from non-Hindi-speaking states strikes at the core of our constitutional compact. Our founding fathers envisioned an India whose strength would come not from uniformity, but from the unity of its diversity, a Union where different languages, cultures and identities enrich, rather than diminish, the national fabric. India is a Union of diverse linguistic traditions, not a monolithic entity. Mutual respect, accommodation and constitutional equality not linguistic imposition must define our national forums. Our diversity is not a challenge to Indian unity. It is the very foundation of it,” Satheesan said.

He was referring to the NCW’s two-day workshop on “gender responsive governance for women legislators” under its ‘She is a Changemaker’ initiative in Faridabad, Delhi NCR. The programme saw over 100 women legislators from across the country.

Bindhu Krishna, Kerala’s Minister for Labour, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Milk Co-operatives, Women & Child Development, said the NCW programme could have been held at the BJP office.

‘Nobody listened’

“Why was all this done from the Women’s Commission’s platform?” Krishna said. She added that the Kerala leaders came with hopes that the NCW workshop in Surajkund, Faridabad, would offer more information, ideas, and guidance on making better laws. “Just before the function, we were invited to sit on the dais but were not allowed to speak. All sessions were in Hindi. As we are from South India, we requested that English also be used so we could understand, but nobody listened.”

The NCW chairperson promised to look into the issue, but nothing happened, the minister alleged.

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“On the second day, deputy speaker and another Congress legislator, Shanimol Usman, seized the mike while a session was going on in Hindi,” she said.

“I also intervened and questioned the way the workshop was being conducted. We were not insisting that there should be translations. At least they could have conducted the sessions in English. When I sought the stand of the commission on the Women Reservation Bill passed by Parliament, there was no response. Instead, women legislators raised the slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. Hence, eight UDF legislators decided to boycott the session. Raising the slogan ‘uphold the Constitution’, we quit the venue,” she said, adding that several legislators from non-Hindi-speaking states also raised objections.

The NCW has yet to respond to the row.

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More