Tamil Signature Not In Vogue
The Constitution of India has protected the territorial pride and identity in such a way that each state can keep its culture intact and assimilate national unity. It has been 75 years since the Constitution came into force after independence and during this period our Constitution has been the guiding light of national integration. Each state in India has also been given certain privileges, in which law and order and agriculture are the most prominent. Along with this, the states have also been allowed to take necessary steps for the promotion of their respective languages. The unique example of regional autonomy amidst national integration is also the Constitution of India, in which all the rights are reserved with the Central Government so that the nation can remain tied in one thread. There has been a problem of a national language in India since independence, but it was resolved through the Official Language Act and both Hindi and English were given the status of official language.
Along with this, the states were given full rights in the case of regional languages. Despite this, the three-language formula was implemented in the entire country, under which the mother tongue, regional language and Hindi or English were allowed to choose one. This formula came in 1968 during the time of the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, which was opposed in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. Although its main opposition was to Hindi being given the status of official language in 1965, the state also opposed the three-language formula. The formula was opposed by accusing it of imposing Hindi in Tamil Nadu. At that time, some other non-Hindi speaking states had also joined the chorus, while the anti-English movement was going on in the states of North India. The three-language formula came to meet these two opposite directions, which the present Modi government has made a part of the new National Education Policy.
Under this formula, states can take all necessary steps to promote their regional languages. But before that, we have to think that India is today the leading country in the software industry of the computer sector all over the world. Its younger generation has achieved this status only on the basis of their knowledge of English. Nevertheless, provisions are being made to impart higher education in Hindi in the states of North India, in which Madhya Pradesh is at the forefront. The most important aspect here is that by giving higher education of engineering and medicine in Hindi medium, are we not doing injustice to the new generation and are they not pushing them behind the youth who have studied in English medium? In the education structure in India today, higher education like engineering and medical is through English medium, due to which the doors of the whole world are open for these students. Along with this, it has to be seen whether these subjects have the full potential of higher studies. Apart from the underdeveloped and developing countries of the world, there is a good demand for engineers and doctors of India even in developed countries. This is all because of the knowledge of English because English is the link language of international standard.
But this does not mean that we should give up our regional pride and identity. Therefore, when we talk of a regional sub-nationalism, the question of language comes first. We can study in English, of course, but we are basically Indians as well as a Punjabi or Bengali or Tamil. Therefore, it is important for the regional political parties of India to think about the well-being of their area or state. But in Tamil Nadu, the way the new education policy is being opposed, the Tamil identity question of regional pride is being raised and Hindi is being opposed. Therefore, it is perfectly legitimate for the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to ask the Tamil leaders why they do not sign their signatures in Tamil.
The Chief Minister of this state, Shri M.K. Stalin has been accusing the Centre of trying to impose Hindi on his state in the name of the three-language formula, but Mr. Modi has asked how far it is appropriate for him to resort to Tamil identity when the prominent leaders of his state do not even sign their signatures in Tamil. During his visit to Tamil Nadu, Mr. Modi also asked why medical education was not started in Tamil language. There may be variations of opinion in this matter, but this question is related to the intelligence of the local young generation. It is not necessary that every youth should study only in English medium considering the economic condition of his family. He may be a meritorious student despite studying in Tamil medium. Therefore, at the local level, if we want our youth to become engineers or doctors, then the provision of higher education through Tamil medium will only benefit the people of the state.