Amit Shah says Indians from different states should talk to each other in Hindi

[Tyrannosauraus_Rex]

India is the only country in the world where initially the states were created on the basis of languages. While we Indians take it for granted - for the rest of the world it is an incredible and a novel arrangement.

In most countries where there is one preponderant community or race - it is easy to define or expound their sense of patriotism or national identity - typically let's say if you ask a Japanese - what makes you a Japanese he or she would point out to the Japanese language, cuisine, manners, customs etc.,

 

Obviously for us Indians - there is no such homogeneity that is visible or tangible. Because a Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Odiya person all identify as Indians even though we don't speak the same language, do not perhaps share the same exact cultural values etc.,

India is incredibly unique in that sense which is why we are actually described as a "sub-continent" - because honestly we are a federation made up of various sub-nationalities.  It is easier for me describe myself as a Telugu person than it is for me to  describe myself as an Indian. As a Telugu - I can point out to my language, script, food, local festivals, customs which are endemic to our area. But of course my identity as a Telugu person and my Indian identity comfortably and easily co-exist in the same identity space. Because - me being a Telugu and Indian are actually interchangeable. There is no conflict there. Similar is the case with a Kannada guy, Marathi guy, Malayali guy etc.,

Now this edifice can exist only on the basis of "equality" - which is why our constitutional forefathers were very careful in not declaring one language as a national language. In fact we do not officially have any national language.

Dealing with a country like India where sub-national identities are super strong - is a matter of very delicate balance.

You can see sometimes in elections politicians tap into these sub-national identities - Mamata Banerjee invokes her Bengali spirit and identity to lambast Modi - along the lines of "We should not allow a Gujarati to dictate to us what patriotism is etc.,

We've seen Andhra-Telangana issue and Tamil nationalism, Punjab nationalism etc.,

One of the ways to maintain this fragile yet elastic balance is to give equal importance to all languages. 

Bangladesh broke off from Pakistan because Bengali was relegated to the back burner and it inflamed passions to the point where a new country was born.

India is not a direct democracy - India is a republic which means minority rights including languages are protected and no one dominant language can be awarded the status of a national language just because it is spoken by the majority of Indians.

 

Bottomline - there is really no need for Amit Shah or anyone to try to encourage people to learn Hindi. Let people decide it. As things stand English - is doing a wonderful job of unifying the country anyway. Our constitution is in English, our courts deliver their judgments in English etc.,

Don't try to impose one language in India - it will never work and more importantly it will sow unnecessary seeds of discontent.

India has enough problems as it is. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Starblazer]

English matladithe jobs vasthayani English nerchukuntunnaru. Okavela Hindi matladithe jobs vasthayanukunte Hindi nerhcukuntaru. Moreover, arts and culture kooda important. Bollywood lo rotta cinemalu teesi avi chudataniki Hindi nerhcukomante kashtam.

[Spartan]

  matladakapote fine vestara leda ban chestara or anti national tag vestara adgalsindi