Shillong: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) President, Vincent H. Pala has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to impose Hindi as a compulsory language across the country.
“India is a multi-cultural and multi-linguistic country that has grown over millennia. This special feature of the nation should be encouraged and cherished,” Pala noted in his letter.
He said the Constitution of India recognises this plurality and made provision for safeguarding the many linguistic and cultural strengths of the land.
In the letter, the opposition Congress Lok Sabha member informed the Prime Minister that Meghalaya statehood movement commenced after the attempt of the Assam Legislature to make Assamese the official state language, to much concern of the tribes inhabiting the state .
“History is replete with similar attempts elsewhere,” Pala said. In the letter, the senior Congress also voiced concerns on the attempt within states by more dominant communities to impose their language and script on smaller communities, in particular over the tribal communities that largely do not have their written characters.
“It’s concerning that the tribes inhabiting the state and other states are facing the same threat once again,” the Lok Sabha member said, adding such attempts have created disharmony among communities. Acknowledging that the English language is a “colonial legacy” but there are benefits about the English language, Pala stressed.
He said the “English language has helped in uniting the country.”
Urging the Prime Minister “not to impose Hindi as a compulsory language” Pala said it’s important to “gradually move towards a National language that is usable throughout the country.”
