‘Hawabaazi’ vs ‘Hawalabaazi’: PM hits back at Sonia’s jibe at ‘World Hindi Conference’ in Bhopal

New Delhi :Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday aimed at Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Hawabaazi’ jibe with ‘Hawalabaazi’ remark at the three-day 10th Vishwa Hindi Sammelan (World Hindi Conference) in Bhopal.

“The conference proved to be a milestone in universalisation of Hindi language and I urge people to exhibit their fondness for Hindi at all levels,” Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said today during the mega-event at Lal Parade Ground.

He said the conference will be able to resolve all doubts related to Hindi and it is a matter of pride that Madhya Pradesh – the heart of India has got an opportunity to host this prestigious event.

The conference is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in cooperation with the Madhya Pradesh government.

Chouhan said that the conference is being held for the third time in the country after a gap of 32 years.

Noted Hindi scholars from across the country and the world will take part in the event.

“They will deliberate in detail on 16 aspects for universalisation of Hindi language. It is a matter of extreme happiness that it is being held in the state at a time when the importance of Hindi is being recognised world over. People are learning Hindi in other countries also,” Chouhan added.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had yesterday inaugurated an exhibition ‘Hindi Kal Aaj aur Kal’ at the conference venue.

Major information technology companies like Google Cedac, Apple and Microsoft have demonstrated works done by them for Hindi.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements were being made in view of Prime Minister’s maiden visit to the city.

Incidentally, the concept of organising Vishwa Hindi Sammelan was born in 1973 at Wardha, and it was organised for the first time in Nagpur in 1975. Later, Delhi hosted it for the second time in 1983, an office bearer of the event said.

The conference was also held in Mauritius in 1976 and 1993, in Trinidad and Tobago in 1996, in London (1999), Surinam (2003), New York (2007) and Johannesburg (2012), he added.

PTI