Issues Associated with Languages and Official Language

Introduction:

The language issue in India has been a divisive and challenging issue. Linguistic diversity posed challenges for national consolidation with the debate over the union's official language, and states' linguistic reorganisation.

History of Language issue:

• After 1942, Mahatma Gandhi emphasized Hindustani, a fusion of Hindi and Urdu, as the unifying language. 
• Constituent Assembly had disagreements on declaring Hindi as the national language. But finally, it was decided that the Constitution will speak of an ‘official language’. 
• The Constitution adopted the Munshi-Ayyangar Formula, making Hindi in Devanagari script the official language with a 15-year transition period. 
• English would continue to be used for all official purposes for the next 15 years, to enable a smooth transition for non-Hindi speaking states.
• The Official Languages Act, 1963 extended the use of English beyond the transition period.
• Protests erupted in non-Hindi states, particularly Tamil Nadu, against the imposition of Hindi. 
• Three Language Formula: Since the 1960s, the Centre’s education policy documents speak of teaching three languages: 

• Hindi, English and one regional language in Hindi-speaking States, 
• Hindi, English and the official regional language in other States.

Why has language become a sensitive issue?

• Self-identification: A strong identification with one’s regional language and an underlying fear of homogenisation is at the heart of the national language question in India. 
• Access to Economic Opportunities: The decision to learn another language is based on its access to find mew opportunities and the economic benefits one might get. 
• Language defines the primary group: People identify with one another based on language, thus giving them a primary group. 
• Threats to diversity: Language is integral to culture and therefore privileging Hindi over all other languages spoken in India takes away from its diversity.
• Promises made by Constituent Assembly: Nehru had promised that Hindi would only serve as a linking language and it would not be imposed on non-Hindi speaking states.

Benefits of having a national language:

• Broad user base: Hindi has a large native speaker and proficient speaker population in India.
• Unity and cooperation: Hindi can facilitate better coordination among states, reduce regional disparities, and respect local languages. 
• International prestige: Using a national language in international forums enhances a nation's prestige and promotes the global reputation of the language.

Issues with Hindi

• Inherent opposition: The Constituent Assembly faced divisions as members from non-Hindi speaking states opposed declaring Hindi as a national language. 
• Fear of imposition: Concerns arose about Hindi dominating non-Hindi regions if English was phased out. 
• Identity politics: Linguistic policies driven by identity politics rather than aspirations or accommodation. 
• Majoritarianism: Hindi's promotion reduced to assertions of slim majoritarianism. 
• Limited speakers, dominant position: Only 25% of Indians consider Hindi as their mother tongue (Census 2011), raising concerns about the claim based on numerical strength. 
• Demographic barriers: High migration rates necessitate rethinking language identities. 
• Economic barriers: A single lingua franca, be it Hindi or English, could impede migration and hinder capital flow. 
• Dialectal variations: Hindi is associated with specific communities in the five states where it is a native language.

Why Hindi cannot be the national language?

• Multiple dialects: Hindi has largely been influenced by Persian — and then English, among other languages. Also, when the languages were enumerated, Hindi subsumed Bhojpuri, which is spoken by a little over five crore people.  

• Inefficacy of Sanskrit: There were demands to make Sanskrit the official language, while some argued in favour of ‘Hindustani’.
• Issue over Script: There were differences of opinion over the script too. When opinion veered towards accepting Hindi, proponents of the language wanted the ‘Devanagari’ script to be adopted both for words and numerals.

Issue with linguistic minority

A linguistic minority is a group of people whose mother tongue is different from that of the majority in the state or part of a state.

Challenges of Linguistic Minorities: 

• Language barrier affecting communication and understanding. 
• Educational challenges due to dominance of regional or national languages. 
• Preservation of unique language and culture. 
• Impact on employment opportunities and socio-economic mobility. 
• Difficulty in social integration. 
• Lack of representation in public services, media, and politics.

Measures to taken to eradicate the problem of Linguistic minorities:

Provision of Fundamental Rights for Minorities: 

• Article 30 of the Indian Constitution grants linguistic and religious minorities the right to establish and manage educational institutions. 
• Article 347 empowers the President to officially recognize a language in a state upon demand by a minority. 

Way Forward

To preserve linguistic diversity, it is crucial to promote quality education in mother tongues and minority languages, support cultural activities and media in these languages, and ensure the representation and participation of linguistic minorities. Additionally, implementing initiatives for language preservation and revitalization can safeguard endangered languages for future generations.