My views regarding the Pointless Language Rows in Maharashtra and Karnataka

Mumbai belongs to Bharat, not just to the Marathi people. Bengaluru belongs to Bharat, not just to Kannadigas. The people who argue for regional languages as the only languages to be used in their particular states better get a separate Mumbai or Bengaluru passport or citizenship. 

Bharat, that is, India is one. It is the Opposition group that is trying to divide our nation on regional and linguistic grounds. At first they tried using religion and caste. After the government consented to a caste census, they are creating unnecessary regional controversies to attract certain vulnerable vote banks. 

The constitution of Bharat states that the official language of Bharat is Hindi in Devanagri script (Article 343). The second official language (allowed for 15 years from 1950) was (is) English. The twenty-two scheduled languages are official only in the places where they are spoken by the majority, not all over India.

For instance, nobody can expect a government official in Kerala to know Marathi or Bengali. If you write your official letter to the government in Marathi, Kerala's official would request you for a translated letter in Hindi, English, or Malayalam. Nobody can learn all the twenty-two languages and communicate in each of them fluently. 

Suppose I am in Maharashtra today and tomorrow I travel to Bengaluru or Orissa, how many languages would I need to know? In one day, I would be compelled to use Marathi, Bengali, and Odiya. That is why, we need a common language that can serve as the national language. No nation has 22 national languages. 

It is absurd to say we have no national language or all the twenty-two are our national languages. A National Language is singular, like a national bird (peacock) and a national animal (tiger). Now, the question is among the two official languages, which one could be our national language? 

English can be our national language if all people think that we need to follow the culture and language of the colonizer, not our own. If you are fond of a Swadesi way of life, Hindi is our national language. It was never debated until recently because if you look at your Hindi textbook (1990s), it states, "Hindi is our national language. हिन्दी हमारी राष्ट्रभाषा है!"


 

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