Is there a need of a national language? – Criticisms – way forward (Mains GS2)
National Language
Need of a National Language?
- Under Article 343(1) The Constituent Assembly of India adopted Hindi (written in Devanagari Script) and English as the official language of the country on September 14, 1949.
- Article 351 gives power to issue a directive for the development of the Hindi language.
- There are 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India - Hindi language is one of them
- The imposition of Hindi language was challenged in many non-Hindi states, such as in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.
- Following violent protests in southern India, then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the 'Official Languages Act' in 1963, ensuring that English and Hindi would continue to be the official languages of the Union of India.
- Anti-Hindi protests of 1965 - an important turn in India's official language policy.
- The 'Official Languages Act' was amended in 1967 guaranteeing the "virtual indefinite policy of bilingualism" for all official purposes of the Union.
- Given the linguistic diversity of India, there is no national language as all the states are free to decide their own official languages.
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