Language Politics Will Lead Us to Nowhere

I was born and brought up in Western Uttar Pradesh. My parents were not so affluent to send me to some fancy boarding school  in Dehradun, Mussorie, Nainital or Panchgani, I got my education in my native city  Moradabad. It was around 1966 to 68 when the linguistic chauvinism was at peak in Uttar Pradesh due to  Samajvadi Yuvjan Sabha (SYS) an off shoot of Socialist Party. English used to be a compulsory subject but due to political compulsion it was removed from compulsory subject. When a subject is no more compulsory, why teachers as well as students will bother in its  study . So my basic knowledge about English was very very weak, I fared well in most of the written examinations for so many high end jobs but most of the time I could not make it up in interviews as there was no environment in my schools or college to emphasise on English conversation. It is not a story of me alone, thousands of boys and girls from Uttar Pradesh, who couldn't get a good job just because of a Angreji Hatao Movement, they  were deprived to learn an important international  language which was also practically language of high end jobs. You will be shocked to know that children of almost all the top leaders involved in this movement studied  in top colleges of the country, got their education in English, they either  got through All India Services or gone to work in Multinational companies abroad.This is another story that, without help of my teachers I learned English with the help of British Council Library and American Library , did my Masters also in this language and reaped the benefit much later stage of my career. 

Again after arrival of Modi Ji in centre, a language war has started in Tamil Nadu on his over enthusiasm on use of Hindi in official work. The dirty politics of language has again brought in centre stage. children of common people in Tamil Nadu were not  allowed to study Hindi, with the result, it was really difficult for them to get job in other parts of country.  I am sure even in this process none of the politician's son or daughter will ever suffer.

World has changed at lot from the days of sixties or seventies Hindi Lao, Angreji Bhagao. Due to advent of Internet revolution, English is the language most used all around. America being the super hub of power, business and trade and they use only English as their language despite the fact that it is nation of so many nationalities, be it French, Germans, Italians,Chinese, Japanese only those people are benefited globally who can work in English. It is also a paradox that maximum number of Indian White collared workers in America are there because they can easily understand English and do not have problem in communicating  the language. Chinese have understood this little late and they are quickly ratifying their mistake.

Back to our country, we have to get it into heads of our political masters that every language is only good enough if it is an effective mode of communication. Archaic notions may please a few old men but it may be useless in long run. Language can not be developed and spread by Government Orders, language make it's place via entertainment, your muscle power in business.
 It is really good that after invasion of electronic channels, Hindi has clearly emerged as strong language of mass entertainment with out any support from any body. I recollect an instance, I was in a small town in Tamilnadu few years back, in the late evening searching for hotel rooms with few of my friend, there was only one reasonable hotel there, sewers at reception, could not see even a single soul around, puzzled one of my friend heard some sound from a room not far away from reception area, the entire staff was watching Sas Bhee Kabhee Bahu Thee TV serial, and none of them could speak Hindi properly !

Let our younger generation should read, write and speak at least three languages including his mother tongue also. At least this will pave way for proper communication and real national integration. The politicians should concentrate more on preserving the cultural heritage including classical dance forms, music and other fine arts which have sadly not taken care of by left, right or centre politicians. I have seen when politicians of any political leaning come to attend any such concerts or programmes you may watch them taking nap ! What they enjoy, a commercial film full of culturally mixed, borrowed tunes and raunchy and provocative dance moves. Now what is the kind of culture they profess to preserve, also keeping mum on the diktat passed by Khap Panchyats or similar cultural or religious institutions on how woman should behave.

Encourage all our national languages. By all means provide support to writers, encourage their works to be translated in other Indian languages. Endow universities generously to promote glory of all the national languages. But for God sake do not create division in name of languages rather create bridges through the languages. Do not make feel Indians that Hindi chauvinism is back. The fact is much more people know as well as speak Hindi across the country than
ever before , but try to understand it is a soft power coup not because of politician's efforts.