IPSA takes strong stand against 'Hindi imposition'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 28 2022:
The International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA) has claimed that the objective of the Centre to impose Hindi on non-speaking States is associated with the vision to make an Akhand Bharat.
A press release issued by IPSA claimed that successive Central Governments have been devising different tactics to create a unified Indian Sub-continent called Akhand Hindustan by merging different countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Myanmar but the same will be detrimental to smaller communities, specially those in North East India.
Alleging that the indigenous languages of Manipur will vanish gradually if Hindi indeed becomes a compulsory subject upto Class X, IPSA claimed that culture and tradition of Kangleipak has been targeted since 1709 but the same is preserved still today due to the devotion and unity of the Kangleicha (people of Manipur) .
Further claiming that the process of Hinduisation in Manipur began in 1732 after the burning of the Puya, the statement maintained that Kangleilol (Manipuri language) was added to the list of the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution after a series of movements in 1992 .
Saying that indigenous languages of Manipur are still not making any progress despite the establishment of Department of Language Planning and Implementation on September 4, 2013 due to lack of funding and effective policy, IPSA maintained that their aspiration is to develop Meitei Mayek and other indigenous languages such as Thadou-Kuki, Rongmei, Vaiphei, Zou, Hmar, Kom, Mizo, Paite, Mao, Liangmei, Gangte, Poumei, Maring, Simte, Anal, Maram and Zeme equally.
BOSEM hasn't delivered its assurance to give 20 different tribes of Manipur the opportunity to learn in their mother tongue and at the same time the Centre is considering making Hindi a compulsory subject upto Class X, IPSA said and claimed that the same tactic was first undertaken in South India but failed due to stiff opposition by people and the regional party DMK.
IPSA claimed that the Centre has been striving to abolish the smaller groups instead to realise its dream of Akhand Bharat by violating international law.
Above this, education is a concurrent list so the Centre must take approval from all stakeholders (States) before finalising the matter, IPSA contended and maintained that even learning Hindi upto Class VIII is still a challenge to a large number of students.
Making Hindi compulsory upto Class X might also witness a spike in the dropout rate as it will only be an extra burden to many students, it said.
Continuing that India is a diverse land and union of States having different culture and tradition, IPSA urged the Central Government to keep the beauty of Indian Nationalism intact.
Its true that learning a new language is always beneficial and there is no harm in it but making it a compulsion would be wrong as the same can be only done under a hidden agenda, IPSA said and asserted that imposing a certain language on others would be akin to converting a group of people or an individual to another faith without their consent.
IPSA further stated that the move of the Centre to impose Hindi on non speaking States is undemocratic.