UN can't make Hindi an official language: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: India is ready to bear all expenses, if necessary up to Rs 400 crore, to make Hindi one of the official languages of the United Nations but its rules for acquiring such a status prevents the country from doing so, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said in Parliament on Wednesday.

“The United Nations has a specific procedure for a language to be recognised as an official language of the UN. According to that procedure, getting Hindi accepted as an official language of the UN will involve adoption of a Resolution by the UN General Assembly with a minimum two-third majority, as the additional expenditure, according to UN rules have to be contributed by all member-states,” Ms Swaraj said, in a written reply.

Therefore, according to the UN rules, support of two-third member-countries (129 nations) is required out of the total 193 member-nations, Ms Swaraj said in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour. 

“It is not difficult to get the support of two-third member-nations. But when the issue of bearing the expenses comes, many small nations become hesitant which has led to a big hurdle in making Hindi an official languages of the UN,” Ms Swaraj was quoted as saying in the Lok Sabha, adding that despite this, the efforts are on.

When a Bharatiya Janata Party member said that India has to pay Rs 40 crore as cost for making Hindi one of the languages in the UN, the minister the government is ready to pay “even Rs 400 crore if required” but the world body’s rules does not allow to do so.