This refers to the article, “Creating level playing fields” (May 20) by Sudip Bhattacharyya. Though Hindi is zealously projected as the national language, the fact remains that there is no provision for such a status in the Constitution. In fact, a Bench of the Gujarat High Court, comprising Chief Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya and Justice AS Dave, had categorically opined that there is no national language in India. If this opinion is taken in the right spirit, it implies that Hindi is merely a north Indian language; but beyond the Hindi heartland, it is an alien tongue for many Indians.
Are the ‘nationalists’ aware that that by treating the languages of the non-Hindi speakers in a lesser light, they are posing a direct assault on the Republic of India itselfIJ India’s unity is dependent upon equal respect to and opportunity for all regions. Pampering Hindi, at the cost of other languages, will cause this country to disintegrate.