Home Minister Wants Hindi As ‘Language For The Country'
Northeast Today|October 2019
The Narendra Modi-led government has continued to push Hindi as the ‘one’ language of India since it came to power in 2014. In its previous stint, the BJP had tried to change the language of official correspondence to Hindi. It had also tried to make Hindi compulsory in schools across India. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent comment that ‘only Hindi could unite the nation’ as the language reflect the country’s identity is what BJP always wanted to implement. Kingson Chingakham narrates.
Kingson Chingakham
Home Minister Wants Hindi As ‘Language For The Country'

Speaking on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, Union Home Minister Amit Shah triggered a political controversy when he said that ‘only Hindi could unite the nation’ as the language reflect the country’s identity. He also expressed that it was a national responsibility to expand and prosper Hindi.

Although the Home Minister also warned that that the promotion of Hindi should not be done at the cost of local languages, regional political parties saw such statement as a threat to ‘Indian integrity and diversity’. With a massive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent general elections, the country has moved towards the majoritarian state. The opposition fears that this kind of majoritarian government can do anything unilaterally without consulting the various stakeholders. Many also gave an example of how the BJP led NDA government unilaterally bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories without the proper channel of debate and discussion in the Parliament.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had always urged for three-language formula for India, which is, English, Hindi and the mother tongue (or the Native language). Any attempt to tamper this three-language formula will destroy the integrity of the country. This is in contrast to what Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhai Patel had appealed to the public. Both these tall leaders believed ‘Hindi as the official language’. This is where Amit Shah got the inspiration.

Facts from Census 2011

According to the Census Report 2011, out of the 22 Scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Hindi had the highest number of speakers in the country. Although Hindi has many dialects, 43.63 per cent of the population spoke Hindi. Bengalee possessed the second-highest speakers in the country, followed by western and south Indian languages in descending order- Marathi, Telegu and Tamil.

Bu hikaye Northeast Today dergisinin October 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Northeast Today dergisinin October 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

NORTHEAST TODAY DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Mayong: The Trivet Of Black Magic
Northeast Today

Mayong: The Trivet Of Black Magic

Having grown up watching Harry Potter and Salem Witches, and hearing stories with no possible explanations, visiting Mayong, the hub of “black magic” in Assam, was always at the top of my bucket list.

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022
Why Is The 'Land Of Paradise' Empty?
Northeast Today

Why Is The 'Land Of Paradise' Empty?

By the end of the 20th century, Dubai prioritised ending its dependency on oil as it is a non-renewable resource and turned to the tourism sector to diversify its economy.

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022
Clean Your Room And Improve Your Mood
Northeast Today

Clean Your Room And Improve Your Mood

Do you suffer from a bad mood on most occasions? Do you have a sense of irritability most of the time? If yes, then it is time to do some cleaning and arrange your living area.

time-read
1 min  |
July 2022
CENTRE FORMULATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE NORTHEAST AS AGRI EXPORT HUB
Northeast Today

CENTRE FORMULATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE NORTHEAST AS AGRI EXPORT HUB

To boost the export of horticulture products grown in the northeast, the Centre is now up with a robust strategy to promote locally produced agricultural products to the international markets

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022
HOJAGIRI DANCE: STATE'S MOST ACCLAIMED DANCE FORM
Northeast Today

HOJAGIRI DANCE: STATE'S MOST ACCLAIMED DANCE FORM

The Reang tribe is one of Tite 21 pastoral tribes in Tripura and among 75 primitive tribes in India. This indigenous tribe is the second largest after the Tripuri community.

time-read
4 dak  |
July 2022
SAGA-DAWA- A CLOSE WATCH
Northeast Today

SAGA-DAWA- A CLOSE WATCH

Small little monk kids are a little busier today as compared to other ordinary days as they have to prepare for a special puja session just before the day of Saga-Dawa, a triply blessed day.

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022
NAGAS EMERGING IN INDIA'S CREATIVE FIELDS: RIO
Northeast Today

NAGAS EMERGING IN INDIA'S CREATIVE FIELDS: RIO

A ddressing a gathering at the 2nd North East India Festival in Thailand, Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio said that the festival will help in connecting the region with Thailand and give a further thrust to the Centre's Act East Policy and Thailand's Act West Policy along with other South East Asian countries.

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022
HORTICULTURE BLOOMING IN MIZORAM
Northeast Today

HORTICULTURE BLOOMING IN MIZORAM

Mizoram’s horticulture department has seen tremendous growth during the last decade, with many transformations seen in the form of introducing hybrid seeds with better adaptability and higher yields; as well as in infrastructure developments.

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022
PA SANGMA FELLOWSHIP FOR LEGAL AND POLICY RESEARCH INAUGURATED
Northeast Today

PA SANGMA FELLOWSHIP FOR LEGAL AND POLICY RESEARCH INAUGURATED

Meghalaya Minister K Sangma Chief Conrad recently inaugurated the PA Sangma Fellowship for Legal and Policy Research at Yojana Bhawan.

time-read
2 dak  |
July 2022
INFAMOUS OPERATION BLUEBIRD REMEMBERED
Northeast Today

INFAMOUS OPERATION BLUEBIRD REMEMBERED

Operation Bluebird” called Onae Reh Dah in the local  Oinam dialect) of 1987 was a nightmare that occurred in broad daylight, a nightmare that did not occur in dreamland but at Oinam Hill village in the Senapati district of Manipur.

time-read
3 dak  |
July 2022