Ex-Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy weighed on Thursday on the Twitter exchange between actors Ajay Devgn and Sudeep - on the always controversial subject of Hindi being India's national language. The Janata Dal (Secular) chief backed Kannada actor Sudeep in a series of tweets, saying, 'Hindi is not a national language...' He further criticized Devgn for his "ludicrous behaviour" and referred to him as a "mouthpiece of the BJP's Hindi nationalism."

Kumaraswamy further slammed the BJP, claiming that "a seed was sown... has become contagious (and) is) dividing the nation." This is a threat to the unity of India.'

"Actor Kiccha Sudeep saying that Hindi is not a National Language is correct. There is nothing to find fault in his statement. Actor Ajay Devgn is not only hyper in nature but also shows his ludicrous behaviour," he tweeted.

Actor @KicchaSudeep saying that Hindi is not a National Language is correct. There is nothing to find fault in his statement. Actor @ajaydevgn is not only hyper in nature but also shows his ludicrous behaviour. 1/7

— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) April 28, 2022

"Just because a large population speaks Hindi, it doesn't become a National Language. Less than 9 States, Kashmir-Kanyakumari, have Hindi as 2nd, 3rd language or not even that. This being situation what is the truth in Ajay Devgn's statement? What do you mean by not to dub?" the former chief minister wrote.

From the beginnig, ‘Hindi’ based political parties in the Centre have been making efforts to destroy regional languages. Congress which started surprising regional languages is being continued by the BJP. 4/7

— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) April 28, 2022

Sudeep's response to 'K.G.F: Chapter 2', a recently released Kannada film, being termed a 'pan-India film,' sparked the controversy.

He said that Hindi could not be considered a national language and demanded that Bollywood provide dubbed versions of its films, to which Devgn replied, 'Hindi was, is, and always will be our mother tongue and national language.'

Sudeep then underlined the country's cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as gently wondering if Bollywood would have understood his comment if it had been in Kannada rather than English. "Don't we too belong to India sir..." he asked.

I love and respect every language of our country sir. I would want this topic to rest,,, as I said the line in a totally different context.
Mch luv and wshs to you always.
Hoping to seeing you soon.
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— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) April 27, 2022

The exchange sparked a heated debate in India about languages (even after the two actors reconciled) and the perception of Hindi imposition in the south - an explosive that unites ordinarily opposed regional political parties.

“From the beginning, 'Hindi' based political parties in the Centre have been making efforts to destroy regional languages. Congress which started surprising regional languages is being continued by the BJP.”

An addiction for primacy is dividing the country. A seed sown by the BJP has become contagious dividing the nation. This is a threat to India’s unity. 7/7#stopHindiImposition

— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) April 28, 2022

"Ajay Devgn's blabbered as a mouthpiece of BJP’s Hindi Nationalism of one nation, one tax, one language & one government," Kumaraswamy wrote.

"An addiction to primacy is dividing the country. A seed was sown by the BJP

Kumaraswamy wasn't the only Kannada politician to hit back at Devgn; another former chief minister, the Congress' Siddaramaiah, also spoke up.

Hindi was never & will never be our National Language.

It is the duty of every Indian to respect linguistic diversity of our Country.

Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of.

I am proud to be a Kannadiga!! https://t.co/SmT2gsfkgO

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 27, 2022

"Hindi was never and will never be our National Language. It is the duty of every Indian to respect the linguistic diversity of our Country. Each language has its own rich history for its people to be proud of. I am proud to be a Kannadiga!!"

The Congress' state unit chief, DK Shivakumar, also tweeted, pointing out there were nearly 20,000 languages in India and that none should dominate another.

There are 19,500 mother tongues spoken in India.

Our love for India feels the same in every language.

As a proud Kannadiga and a proud Congressman let me remind everyone that Congress created linguistic states so that no one language dominates another.#UnityInDiversity

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) April 28, 2022

"There are 19,500 mother tongues spoken in India. Our love for India feels the same in every language. As a proud Kannadiga and a proud Congressman let me remind everyone that Congress created linguistic states so that no one language dominates another," he tweeted.