The Suffocating Idea of Hindi Imposition
In 2022, Amit Shah asked people from the other nations to speak in Hindi, which has started a nation wide divide related to language. This debate came in the news after Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin started questioning the centre about the National Education Programme (NEP)and its three language policy. He stated that the northern states have never been asked to do such a thing. He even highlighted that there is an office of Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, in Chennai but no such organisation teaching Tamil in Uttar Pradesh, which he called, Uttar Bharat Tamil Prachar Sabha. He talked about this on platform X.
Sandhya, 23 moved from Kerala to Gurugram after she received a great job as a Software Engineer at an MNC. She liked the place and the people very much at first, but as soon as she started working, her colleagues would speak in Hindi, and she would feel left out. There were times when she asked them to speak in English, so that work and even conversations about parties after office could reach her as well. Many people agreed to her concern and started communicating with her in English.
But there was Akash, the team lead of Sandhya, who was stubborn and made her feel small, by speaking in Hindi about the team’s future projects. One day Sandhya stopped him and asked him to speak in English, as she understood nothing, and Akash very vaguely replied to her, “Itna hi problem hai, toh Hindi seekh lo”. This was Sandhya’s story and how she struggled in Gurugram despite being a great Software Engineer.
Not only Sandhya, there are many young students from South India, who are forced to learn Hindi, to adapt in the Hindi Belt speaking regions. When we move to or travel to South India for a vacation, people do not ask us to speak in Tamil or Kannada, they simply help us out with English. People of South India are not stubborn to learn Hindi, they simply don’t feel the need to learn Hindi, as things can move swiftly without Hindi as well.
On 03rd March, Stalin questioned why students in Southern India are bound to learn three languages, while students in Northern India have to only learn two languages. He took a dig at the central government by saying that “The development and history of Tamil Nadu concern certain individuals.”Globally, Tamilians occupy senior roles in major corporations. The reason is that they have acquired fluent English skills. If they had learned Hindi, would we have ever achieved this level? It could not have been done. Our native language is Tamil. We use English to connect with the world. To advance in life, social sciences, mathematics, technology, and science are sufficient. This forms the foundation of our achievement. The enforcement of Hindi solely seeks to maintain the social hegemony of a specific group. We are hearing expressions of support even from several northern Indian states. Tamil Nadu identified this conspiracy years back.”
But an Indian citizen should never forget a contemplation of India’s linguistic variety, its profound cultural importance, and its regrettable resulting consequences. It is well-known that India boasts a multitude of languages spoken by over 1.4 billion people. The aspect of cultural heritage is undeniable, but examining this linguistic web from a different perspective suggests potential issues! India is among the world’s most linguistically varied nations, featuring more than 1,600 languages and thousands of dialects. Although this variety is a cultural asset, it also leads to considerable communication obstacles. Before going further, it is wise to clarify that to this day, India has not possessed any ‘National Language’. It features 22 scheduled languages, all of which hold equal status according to the Constitution.
Language is Our Identity
This isn’t the first occurrence of this in India. Throughout history, numerous protests have arisen against Hindi following 1947. The discussion regarding Hindi’s significance has been intense since prior to India’s independence. While Hindi speakers outnumber those of any other indigenous language in India, they are primarily found in the densely populated, politically influential northern states referred to as the Hindi Belt. Hindi has traditionally had minimal presence in southern states like Tamil Nadu, where Tamil is spoken, and Kerala, where Malayalam is prevalent, as well as in eastern states such as West Bengal, which has 78 million Bengali speakers.
When the constitution was formed in 1949, it was determined that India would not have a single national language. Originally 14 languages – a list that ultimately expanded to 22 – were officially acknowledged in the constitution, although Hindi and English were designated as the “Official Languages” for communication regarding national government and administration.
Efforts were made to establish Hindi as the sole predominant language, but these faced opposition, primarily from the south. During the 1960s, when the government announced that Hindi would be the sole “official language” and English would be eliminated, a violent revolt erupted in Tamil Nadu, leading to several individuals self-immolating and many fatalities in the harsh response to the protests. The government reversed its decision. As of now, state schools in Tamil Nadu teach only Tamil and English. However, it was following the 2014 election of the BJP government, which advanced a Hindu nationalist agenda with a clear push for promoting Hindi, that the issue emerged once more, leading to accusations against the government of enforcing cultural dominance over states that do not primarily speak Hindi. “Under Modi’s leadership, language has turned into a highly politicised topic, and a new narrative is emerging suggesting that if Hindi is introduced in schools in Southern India, the BJP will secure a presence in Tamil’s political sphere.” Another story being communicated is that India should be envisioned as a Hindu state and that to be a genuine Hindu and a real Indian, one must communicate in Hindi. They are increasingly successful in carrying it out.
A Threat to National Unity
The current government in centre BJP, is accused of Hindi Imposition in a country with 1600 languages and thousands of dialects. Tensions are rising in Southern States after MK Stalin started questioning the National Education Policy and its three language agenda. There are many people like MK Stalin who believe that the imposition of Hindi can be both laughable and dangerous. It can be a threat to India’s unity. The idea of “One Nation, One Language” might sound perfect for nations like Pakistan, or France, but not for India. There are certain differences which make things abrupt, but for a nation like India its differences are what makes it unique. According to the last census in 2011, 44% of Indians speak Hindi, whereas 53 native languages, which are totally distant from Hindi, are spoken by a majority of people. So, even if tried, the imposition of Hindi, is a doomed idea and it won’t be accepted by many people across the nation.