Languages soul of India & Hindi up to Ten

Free Thinker *

A few days back Shri Narendra Modi, Hon Prime Minister of India called Indian languages as the soul of Indianness. While speaking about the prioritisation of local languages under the New Education Policy PM expressed the underlying commitment to every regional language.

This approach, most of us will agree throughout the length and breadth of the country, from Gujarati Bada Bhai to Manipuri Shoota Bhai and from Kashmiri Muslims to Tamil dalits ; such an inclusive approach needs to be applauded.

Not so long ago, Hon. Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah stated that Hindi will be made compulsory up to class ten in some regions including the North East. He might have said it in a different context; perhaps he is duty bound to say so, under Article 344 & 351 of the Constitution.

Article 351 says "It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve to secure its enrichment by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule ….". We need not worry. True leaders can read the hearts & minds of the people.

Again on another occasion, the PM has stated that the use of local languages should be allowed in the High Courts; for this, Article 348 may be amended accordingly. This is again a wonderful idea.

Though there will be technical and manpower issues, people throughout the country must be happy because they will be emancipated from the clutches of English in the High Courts. The PM also reiterated that the languages used in the Acts, Laws and Rules must be made simple and easy.

It is again an excellent idea. The legal experts and draftsmen often use high sounding words grammatically verbose –so as to prove that their knowledge is above the laity.

Shashi Tharoor , I really don't understand many of his words. That is his style to prove that his English is better than others, better than you and me. Whereas Gandhiji wrote or spoke in the common man's language – I have gone through some of his editorials written by him in "Young India ". He wrote in such a way that a literate commoner understands what is being conveyed.

Politicians quite deliberately use religion, language, caste, region etc. to get political mileage. Sometimes they forget that a single slip of tongue or a wrong expression may spark a major volatile situation. In fact, these are still very sensitive aspects of one's cultural identity.

I read somewhere that South Africa is now having a National anthem in a single composition consisting of five languages namely , Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English. This is a unique National anthem in the world, a sui generis. We may also go for a new composition with all the recognised regional languages in the same tone , tenner and spirit as laid down by Guru Rabindranath Thakur.

Google Translate has added some more languages in their system of machine translation. Inclusion of Manipuri language ( Meitei script ) is a pleasant surprise.

But the generation who were educated or became literate using Bengali script – they will not be able to use the tool. So, we may request Google Baba to provide the option for both Manipuri in Meitei script and Manipuri in Bengali script for the time being: or till the next generation takes over completely.

Now, we are supposed to learn reading and writing with the new Manipuri script. Long-time back I was supplied with all the material to learn the new script by Shri Meghachandra former Director, DIPR. Actually I learnt the new script; but I could not retain it as I lack practice.

Very recently Shri Bharat Bhushan , the revered then Editor, Huiyen Lanpao gave me the abridged material to learn the script. Yet to open !

Perhaps there is a technical issue. The Government of Manipur has recognised the new script as official, at the same time the old Bengali script is also still in use.

Is there a deadline to completely change over to the new script ? What about the Manipuri script pertaining to the Govt. of India ? Will it still be the Bengali script or the new Meitei script ? Which one to put in the currency note ? We need to look into it.

While discussing politics, language, culture etc. Rakesh Sinha , the maverick RSS ideologue, told a JNU student that "we have power but no prestige." The student was quite impressed by the open and frank admission of a leader from Sangh Parivar. Then, what to do ? quibbled the student.

Ideologue replied, "We need to respect the sentiments and emotions of everyone belonging to different cultures, only then we will be able to regain our position; there must be something before the predominant culture also, how far we have to dig up".

Multilingualism and Multiculturalism must be the guiding force for living together as one. Any doubt Mrithyunjayaji ?