The statement of the Uttarakhand Governor Dr Aziz Qureshi advocating the need for merging the Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari languages to form a new language for Uttarakhand has elicited sharp criticism from scholars and folk artistes who have rejected the idea as impractical.
They said that such an initiative is impossible to execute and that efforts should be focused instead on popularising and preserving the 13 languages of Uttarakhand which none of the successive State Governments have done yet.
Qureshi had recently said that these three languages should be merged to form a new language for Uttarakhand which can be included in the eighth schedule of the Constitution of India.
However, historian, writer and founder of People's Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR) Dr Shekhar Pathak said that the languages of Uttarakhand are independent and should be developed independently. "These languages have their own history. The first play in Garhwali was written 100 years ago while poetry in Kumaoni language is 200 years old. There are nine dialects in Garhwali and 13 in Kumaoni," he said, while adding that the People's linguistic Survey of India's volume on Uttarakhand, which he had co-edited, has listed 13 languages including Garhwali, Kumaoni, Raji, Tharu, Buksadi, Bangani, Jaunpuri, Jaunsari, Rawalti, Johari, Ralvu, Jad and Marcha. "There is need for cultural preservation and protecting the linguistic diversity is an essential requirement for this. However, the positive side of the Governor's statement is that it might elicit focus on the languages of Uttarakhand. Ironically, while the British had printed material in Garhwali and Kumaoni languages for soldiers during the colonial era, at present the State does not recognise any of the languages of Uttarakhand," added Dr Pathak.
Noted folk singer Narendra Singh Negi said that the statement of the Governor appears to have been made without much thought. "Every language has its own essence and one cannot simply destroy a language to form a new language. The idea is impractical and wont progress but even if it does, the public will not accept such a language formed by merging three languages of Uttarakhand.
“Recently, during a Sahitya Akademi event in the State, the secretary of the academy had told us that it had prepared a list of 24 Indian languages in which literature was being written. Garhwali and Kumaoni languages were part of this list and the only two languages not yet included in the eighth schedule. “languages spoken by a few lakh people have been scheduled but Garhwali and Kumaoni languages, each spoken by at least 30 lakh people have not yet been scheduled. Total lack of political will is responsible for the neglect that the languages of Uttarakhand are facing," he said.