Government figures, drawn from census data, show more than 170,000 Victorians speak Hindi and Punjabi.

Prof. Prasad described Koya’s stance as “not only insulting but a clear attempt to degrade the formal language of Indo-Fijians.”

Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services, Penioni Koliniwai Ravunawa, attended as chief guest, joining India’s High Commissioner to Fiji, Suneet Mehta, and scores of early morning participants from across the community.

NatRoad said the program reflects the critical role truck drivers play not only in keeping goods moving, but also in responding to emergencies on the nation’s highways.

As India continues to change, what keeps Hindi alive is not just its official status but the way it quietly threads through everyday life.

He stressed that the trilingual release is not just a translation project but a symbolic act of respect for Fiji’s cultural diversity.

According to the ACT Government, the Indian community is now the largest multicultural group in the Territory, with around 17,000 residents. Of these, nearly 10,000 people speak Hindi or Punjabi at home.

The controversy comes shortly after a roundabout in Griffith was renamed in Punjabi following lobbying from the town’s growing Sikh community.

Highlighting the irony, Prof Prasad noted that those once involved in sidelining Hindi now speak it fluently in Parliament and public forums.

The event was graced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Fiji, Prof. Biman Prasad, who served as the Chief Guest.