The Hindi Diwas speech of Home Minister Amit Shah seems to have stirred a hornet’s nest. As usual, the substance is lost in the din of sound bytes. What Shri Shah said was nothing new. That Hindi needs to be the link language for the nation is a foregone conclusion; and by reiterating the fact, Shri Shah has merely expressed the intent to walk the already established talk.
The Opposition seems to have forgotten the Constitutional provision of Hindi and the place it has been given among the Indian languages. Articles 343 to 351, no less than nine, have been devoted to our Official Language and it explicitly says that Hindi is the Official (not National) Language of the Union. It also makes a transient provision that English may be continued to be used as an Official Language for 15 years. It is expected that people of this country, at least those who have any connection with the Union Government, would be able to communicate in Hindi by then. It also directs the Union Government to take steps to promote, popularise and develop Hindi as a language. All these are aimed at ensuring consensus and capability for Hindi to ultimately becoming the language that every part of India would be able to use in all aspects of life.
Unfortunately, like all other temporary provisions, the provision of English as an Official Language still exists and therein lies the crux of the debate about Hindi becoming a link language. That a country of the size and linguistic diversity of India needs a common language to transact officially, socially, culturally and economically is a sine qua non. The fact that growth of one language does not automatically diminish the use of another is also well-known. Languages thrive or perish based on the attitude of the population towards it in terms of use, both colloquially and in literature. And it is an established fact that languages assimilate, absorb and co-opt words and meanings from other languages. This is a phenomenon which happens irrespective of the Government’s policy. It is especially true in a democracy where free interactions happen among languages.
The objection to Hindi is perhaps rooted in the word “imposition” which somehow creeps into the discourse even though no one ever mentioned it. It is the perceived phobia of a few political parties or pressure groups that want to nurture the fear for political motives. Most of the States such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, etc., were created because of a vibrant movement based on language and culture. In the case of Hindi, no such protest from any other State except Tamil Nadu and Kerala is an indication of the localisation of the problem.
In a country with so many languages and dialects, no single language can be imposed on any people.
At the most, the Union Government may ask all who want to transact with it to use Hindi exclusively. And that is already the stated Constitutional position. But even that much is not happening. So, where is the fear?
All Indian languages are ancient and very rich in cultural and literary contents. It is not possible for one language to subdue another simply through official hegemony. This has been tried and rejected in case of Bengali and Odia long back; the matter being settled in creation of the first language-based State of Odisha in 1936. Even in provinces such as Odisha, where an Act exists since 1954 to use Odia as Official Language, it is quite the contrary in practice. Hence, the opponents need not fear about imposition which will never happen. But can they stem the tide of Hindi through mass media, films and other cultural contacts? And should they? Let things happen naturally with benefit to all the languages. In a forest, every tree grows well if the soil is fertile. Indian cultural soil is the richest in the world. Let us not cry over a non-issue.
(Dr Samantsinghar is a former Asst Professor, Ravenshaw University, and State Secretary, BJP Odisha)