Imposition of Hindi
Our Constitution designates both Hindi and English official languages. Hindi is among the 22 National Languages of India. Thus, it is incorrect to assert that Hindi is the sole National Language of India. (हिंदी भाषा का विवाद)
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Article 343 on Official Languages of India.
The BJP may be instigating this controversy to distract from the real issues facing the nation. This move seems to appeal to Hindi Chauvinists. In an effort to address their grievances about Gujarati dominance in New Delhi, it is troubling that the BJP appears indifferent to the potential damage this could inflict on the Federal structure of the Indian Republic, and ultimately on the unity and integrity of India.
It is important to recognize that the concept of a singular nation and a uniform language can be detrimental. Each non-Hindi-speaking community in India has its distinct language. Non-Hindi speakers should not be equated with the Tribals of the Andaman Islands. Every linguistic group in India has its own cultural legacy. The Indian States of today are not the same as the Rajyas of the past.
The States function as democratic federal entities within the Indian Union, each possessing its own legislative bodies.
No State is prepared to relinquish its linguistic identity in favor of Hindi.
There are around 90 million speakers of Telugu and 90 million speakers of Bengali.
Additionally, there are 73 million Marathas, 50 million Gujaratis, 50 million Rajasthani, 38 million Kannadigas, and 70 million Tamilians living in India.
The term ‘Hindi majority’ is simply a misrepresentation. Uttar Pradesh boasts a population of 200 million, Bihar has 100 million, Madhya Pradesh has 73 million, Haryana has 25 million, and Rajasthan has a population of 68 million. Advocates of Hindi often categorize all these states as regions where Hindi is predominantly spoken.
Nonetheless, the truth is that none of them are fluent in Hindi. They are categorized as Hindi speakers, which results in the enforcement of the Hindi language upon them. Different linguistic communities converse in their distinct local languages, which do not include Hindi. In fact, they find themselves unable to understand Hindi.
Awadhi, Maithili, Magadhi, Bhojpuri
Many speakers of regional languages, including Awadhi, Maithili, Magadhi, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, and Brijbhasha, encounter challenges in understanding Hindi. Awadhi is spoken by 40 million people, Maithili by 38 million, Bhojpuri by 50 million, Haryanvi by 20 million, and Magadhi by 14 million. Among Rajasthan’s population of 68 million, 50 million individuals communicate in Rajasthani rather than Hindi. Notably, the Rajasthani language comprises six primary dialects: Marwari (West), Mewari (Southwest), Dhundhari (East/Jaipur), Hadoti, Mewati, and Bagri, each of which is distinct. Consequently, approximately 230 million individuals do not belong to the Hindi-speaking demographic.
It is essential to acknowledge that all these languages are dialects of Hindi. Telugu and Kannada exhibit significant similarities, whereas Tamil and Malayalam also show considerable resemblance. Gujarati and Marathi possess a comparable phonetic quality. The assertion that Hindi is spoken by 40 crores is a misconception. Furthermore, we live in a democracy. Democracy should not be synonymous with the subjugation of minority groups. Modern democracies uphold the principle of equitable power distribution and strive to prevent the dominance of one group over another.
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Indeed, Hindi was selected as the Official language of the Indian Republic by the Constituent Assembly after it achieved a majority by a single vote. You are familiar with the language that competed with Hindi, which was Hindustani. It was neither Telugu nor Bengali.
At present, India acknowledges 22 languages as National languages. Hindi serves as the Official language alongside English. Each country has its own unique official languages. For example, Bengali is the official language of West Bengal, while Punjabi is the official language of Punjab.
I am confident that the language problem can be permanently addressed by following Switzerland’s model. We should declare that all 22 national languages of the States will be recognized as official languages of India.
In this digital era, transitioning to a system with multiple official languages would not pose a significant challenge for India.
Telugu language
Telugu is a widely spoken language in India, with approximately 90 million speakers. It is primarily understood and spoken by various linguistic communities residing south of the Vindhya mountain range, particularly in the Andhra and Telangana regions. Additionally, people in Bihar and Bengal also have a good understanding of Telugu. Therefore, one might question why Telugu should not be designated as an official language of India.
I would like to propose another idea: Hindi lacks its own script and instead utilizes the Devanagari script. In contrast, the Telugu script is recognized as one of the most advanced scripts globally. Would supporters of Hindi be open to the idea of adopting the Telugu script for the Hindi language?
Language embodies the culture of a society.
India is a distinctive nation characterized by its multilingual and multi-religious nature.
For over 70 years, India has thrived as a nation due to its constitution, which is free from any dogmas regarding languages or religions.
We owe our gratitude to Jawahar Lal Nehru and his contemporaries.
Therefore, it is our solemn responsibility to maintain our constitution in its current form for future generations.
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