Language Wars: Unwarranted Fears in a Multilingual Nation
It's regrettable that the language debate has resurfaced in the nation, pitting English against Hindi, Hindi against Marathi, Hindi against Kannada, and Hindi against Tamil. Mamata Banerjee has expressed her willingness to sacrifice her life for Bengal. These disputes are unwarranted as no language is under threat, and Mamata ji won't need to risk her life. All languages should thrive, yet needless conflicts have emerged. The most disturbing aspect of this controversy was witnessed in Mumbai, where Maharashtra Navnirman Sena thugs assaulted those unable to speak Marathi. Mumbai is home to people from across the country, with only 35-36 percent identifying Marathi as their native language.
The number of Hindi speakers is nearly equal. The Bambaiya language is a blend of Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, and English, but not everyone is familiar with Marathi. Is it time for everyone to brace for repercussions? The Maharashtra government had introduced a three-language policy in schools from grades one to five, making Hindi mandatory alongside Marathi, but later it became optional. However, the MNS, seeking political leverage, was upset, viewing this as a threat to Marathi identity. Consequently, the Maharashtra government rescinded the order. Politically sidelined Raj Thackeray now threatens to penalize residents of the state who do not speak Marathi. What will happen to workers from across the country? What will educated professionals do?
Regarding the issue of 'Marathi identity,' it's intriguing that learning Hindi is seen as a threat to this identity, while studying English poses no such risk. English is mandatory until class 10, yet there's no perceived threat to Marathi. What danger does Hindi pose to Marathi? Why is there such insecurity about one's language? If a child chooses not to study Hindi after class 5, they won't, so what's the conflict? Parents aiming to prepare their children for national competitions recognize the importance of Hindi.
If you love Marathi or Tamil or Kannada or any other language, that is good, but what is the need to show unnecessary hatred towards Hindi? Julio Ribeiro, a 96-year-old senior police officer, writes about Mumbai, “Hindustani, as the Mumbai version of Hindi is known, is widely spoken and understood in Mumbai…all children studying in English medium schools know Hindi”. Similarly, there is the case of opposition to Hindi in South India. The South has a very rich language of its own. Tamil is even older than Sanskrit. Everyone speaks Tamil there, but there are a large number of immigrants. What should they do? After all, the country needs a connecting language that everyone can understand. It cannot be any other than Hindi. It is unfortunate that language has also become an issue of tension, otherwise in Chennai itself, a large number of children study Hindi in CBSE and private schools because Hindi makes you competitive. Films like Sholay and Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge ran for months there, while the Tamil film industry itself is very popular. Nowadays, films from the south are becoming very popular in North India. This trend strengthens the country. Emotional unity increases.
The argument that English poses no threat but Hindi does is peculiar. Critics of Hindi point out that less than 43 percent of the population lists Hindi as their mother tongue. While this is accurate, no other Indian language rivals Hindi in terms of widespread understanding. Many people may not have Hindi as their native language but can comprehend it. English journalists often incorporate Hindi words because they are essential for effective communication. Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan, supports Hindi, calling it a 'symbol of national unity.' Minister Nara Lokesh, son of Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu, questions why Hindi should not be learned. Despite Telugu being an ancient and sophisticated language, the positive attitude in Andhra Pradesh means there is no unnecessary protest against Hindi.
The most positive attitude is of the Kerala government. In the state of ancient language Malayalam, the government is preparing to teach Hindi from the first grade along with Malayalam and English. This step is being taken keeping in mind the education of the children of 45 lakh migrants who have come from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa or Bengal and settled in Kerala. This is the right governance which understands everyone's problem and tries to find a solution. It is not surprising that Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are among the most progressive states of the country. It is sad that what happened in Mumbai was repeated in Bangalore as well. An attempt was made to shame those who could not speak Kannada, whereas the specialty of this city is the professionals who have come from outside. They are the ones who are giving international recognition to this chaotic city.
While Hindi is essential for the country, English is indispensable. In the era of artificial intelligence, English is crucial as it is the language of higher education. Proficiency in English enhances our soft power, contributing to the success of our citizens both domestically and internationally in fields like IT, medicine, business, and engineering. Our citizens excel in the medical and IT sectors in the United States, which has raised concerns for Donald Trump. Recently, Home Minister Amit Shah stated that soon English speakers in the country will feel embarrassed. I completely disagree with this notion, as it is unlikely to occur. Many of his cabinet colleagues have children studying abroad, and some have even settled there, which would not be possible without proficiency in English. Even those whose children have not gone abroad are educating them in English medium schools.
Ram Manohar Lohia had campaigned against English, but we have come a long way. One should not turn away from reality for political reasons. English has become the language of ambition and hope in the country today. In reality, the entire political class is hypocritical about English. On the surface, they will talk about Hindi or regional languages and condemn English, but they will educate their children in English medium schools and hope that they get admission in Oxford or Cambridge or get a place in Ivy League Universities of America and if possible, the children can settle in Western countries. The weaker sections also try to imitate them. Whoever can, gets his children admitted in English medium schools. Children going to school with loose ties can be seen in every city or village. What are called 'convent' schools are also sprouting up everywhere because parents think that children will become smart by learning English.
Those who oppose English should ask themselves why those who want a good job need English in today's India? A profession like medicine cannot run without knowing English. In Madhya Pradesh, the government tried to teach medicine in Hindi. Hindi books were hidden, but not a single student was ready to study in Hindi. Okay, Russia, China, Japan work in their own languages, but China sends its experts to Western countries to gain knowledge. This cannot happen without proficiency in English.
People have a natural attachment to their own languages. Every regional language has its own rich literature, its own style, colloquialism, even its own abuses. No one has a conflict with Hindi. English is not our language, but it has become an international language. We cannot survive without it. Amit Shah himself did his BSc in Biochemistry. In which language would he have done it? The people of the country have come to terms with the current linguistic situation, no one will benefit from tampering with it. The language that the people of the country want will progress on its own.
The country has many more challenges which need to be fought. Anyway, language unites, it does not divide. Remember that old sweet song, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, where different voices combined to create the national anthem. This is India.