MP Pfoze, NESO urge Amit Shah to review Hindi policy
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 12 2022: Outer Manipur MP Dr Lorho S Pfoze has written to Union home minister and Parliamentary Official Language Committee chairman Amit Shah for non imposition of Hindi as a compulsory language for learning in the schools of North East states of India.

In his letter sent on April 9, Dr Lorho stated that democracy in India is characterised by unity in diversity that has provided a unified vision to the people to make the nation a great nation.

"Diverse as we are, the secular fabric of the nation has been woven in recognition of regional differences, mutual tolerance and acceptance that allow us to live together with our differences which in turn has made India a beautiful nation and hence, the greatest democracy in the world," he said.

MP Pfoze pointed out that North East India with just about 3.76 per cent popu lation of the country living in 7.98 per cent of the land mass has the widest range of ethnic and cultural diversities with more than 220 dialects or languages spoken.

These diversities have tended to break the NE people up into small isolated sections mainly caused by keeping the region isolated, exploited, marginalised and neglected.

No sufficient interventions, to give honourable and equitable development to the region, were accorded until NDA came to power in 1998-2004 and again from 2014 till now, it noted.

The MP emphasised that NDA under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has transformed the image of India to the people of the North East positively but this imposition will undo what NDA has painstakingly built up over the years with one stroke.

"You are well aware that North East India is a complex region with multiple challenges to the Government of India.

It is only in recent times, that because of the changing attitudes of the leadership at the centre that our people are beginning to come closer and learning to adapt to peaceful coexistence".

"Lam of the considered opinion that when these regional issues are recognised and addressed positively that the sense of national Integrity will be enhanced," he added.

MP Pfoze also conveyed that Hindi is a beautiful and rich language and has become a widely used means of communication the world over.

However, imposition of any sort always creates a negative attitude towards a gesture.

Imposing Hindi upon NE India at the moment will only compound the learning burden on NE students.

As of now, learning the ethnic language - mother tongue in the primary level education is basic.

Learning of the state language - in the case of Manipur, the Manipuri language is also compulsory.

Hence, compulsory learning of Hindi till class X on top of two other languages is like deliberately awarding a curriculum disadvantage to NE students in comparison to students whose ethnic language is Hindi, he pointed out.

MP Pfoze mentioned that the present issue of making Hindi a compulsory subject in the NE states is ill advised and too hasty, which is why a lot of disgruntlement and objections amongst the various student organisations have arisen.

The imposition is only going to cause further sense of alienation to the people of North East India, he cautioned and reiterated his appeal not to impose compulsory learning of Hindi so suddenly but instead create an atmosphere of ease and plea sure for learning Hindi as an optional subject in the North East, especially in Manipur.

Meanwhile, Northeast Students' Organisation (NESO) has also shot off a letter to union home minister Amit Shah urging him to withdraw the "unfavourable policy" of making Hindi a compulsory subject in schools of the North East.

Instead, NESO has demanded the union home minister to take measures for ensuring further uplift of indigenous languages of the North East.

"In the North Eastern region each state bears its own unique and diversified languages spoken by different ethnic groups.

In the region, a native or indigenous language or a mother tongue is an important marker for a community.

Native or indigenous languages are being further enriched in terms of all aspects such as in literature, academics and arts," the NESO said.

It added, "NESO is vehemently against this policy and will continue to oppose as it had done in the past.

As per the understanding of the organisation, such a move will not usher in unity but will be a tool to create apprehensions and disharmony" .

Comment