The language row that has apparently erupted following the Centre’s keenness to implement the New Education Policy, is threatening to pit the southern states against the Union government unless some immediate solution is found.
The southern states have always been opposed to the imposition of Hindi even though the New Education Policy speaks of the three-language formula where there is no direct evidence of any attempt to foist any language over any region. Had wider consultations been held before the finalization of the formula, things could have been handled much better.
George Bernard Shaw had once commented that two great nations (America and England) were separated by a common language. Both spoke the same language but nevertheless, there were cultural differences which continued to exist and thus the language was not sufficient to cement the relationship.
Even those who have enunciated the New Education Policy and continue to argue in its favour, appear to forget that the spoken or written word was not only about communication. Yes, communication is essential but when it comes to language there is a cultural dimension as well. In other words, every language has a rich background which touches on the heritage and many aspects of a region’s cultural life.
For instance, even in the North, there is a change of dialect after one crosses any river and even the colloquial proverbs undergo a change to bring out the kind of lifestyle that exists and the type of living that is followed. The language is not merely an instrument of communication but also a medium of introducing one to the past of a particular area.
The New Education Policy could be well-meaning and has provided the option of choosing a third language to those who are enrolled in schools or any educational institution. However, it has not been able to lay to rest any apprehensions that exist in the minds of people. Language is also linked to rituals, food, music and so many other aspects.
In the mid-1960s, there was an uproar when the southern states thought that Hindi could be foisted on them in the name of national language. The same mistake is sought to be repeated now and some of the states are viewing it as a subtle way of bringing in Hindi through the backdoor.
The point that needs to be understood is that every language including Hindi has to be respected. There are South Indians who live in Delhi, who are as conversant with Hindi as any of their counterparts. But this has happened because they wanted to pick up another language while not giving up their own identity.
In Lahore, there was a set of Bengalis who were also known as Bengali Punjabis since they had imbibed both the language and culture of different regions. Former Cabinet Secretary Nirmal Mukherjee was one such distinguished bureaucrat who was a Bengali-Punjabi.
Way back in 1986, when the Hindu was launched in Delhi, there were a large number of people from Tamil Nadu who had grown up reading the newspaper, who continued to subscribe to the Hindu’s Madras edition instead of the Delhi edition. I had asked my neighbour, who was from Tamil Nadu, why he did that, and his reply was that it helped him remain connected with his roots.
The Delhi edition of the Hindu started by having local news on Page 12 as it was done in Madras but since other newspapers of the capital, had the local news on page three, it was forced to change the format across all regions.
Similarly, Hindustan Times was synonymous with Delhi and if to begin with subscribers picked up a copy of the daily in other cities, it was to keep abreast with what was happening in the national capital. Yes, things underwent a change but it was gradual and not sudden.
Language can be a very sensitive issue and when cultural aspects get introduced, politics can never be far away. It is said of culture that it is also an instrument used by certain people to pursue power and if looks at one of the definitions of politics, it is also a game leading to pursuit of power.
The BJP is the ruling party at the Centre which has state governments in many parts of the country. It may be the largest political party in the world, but so far as India is concerned it has limitations regarding its footprint in many parts of the southern region. It needs to increase its presence and influence there before it can address fears of the residents on issues like foisting of a language or culture.
India is one country but it has many regions which strengthen its existence by their cultural identity and diversity. The beauty of our country is its diversity and this is what needs to be simultaneously preserved while aiming at unity. Attempts to disrupt this arrangement without involving the stakeholders adequately and without understanding their fears can be counter-productive.
It has been seen over a period of time that every dispensation which comes, brings with it, new symbols, that represent the transition of power. In the United States for instance, even today, the places were native Indians reside have the cross and the church in the middle of the settlements, perhaps to remind them that this was their new religion and it represented the change of order.
The Centre must handle the brewing crisis deftly to assure its critics. Between us.