I love my country. I love and respect her for diversity and democracy. Though I am critical of her “deliberate” shortcomings, especially the apathy of a small minority of its “privileged” class towards the population on the other side of the divide, but today I will talk about India’s linguistic legacy only.
India is home to one of the oldest civilizations and she continues to flourish because of her celebrated diversity manifested in myriad fields including languages. Amazingly, there are 22 “official” languages (Hindi being the most widely spoken by almost 45% of public) besides scores of dialects. And India being a democratic country, everybody has the right to speak, write, and read in whatever language he/she feels comfortable. Though English is the “common” language used in business and administrative set up, yet nobody is ‘bound’ to adopt a particular language for anybody’s else’s sake.
Same linguistic rights are with elected members of the Parliament and the State Assemblies. And what happened with Abu Azmi, SP’s MLA-elect during his oath administration, is utterly disgusting. The shameful conduct of MNS MLAs (or goondas?) was also unlawful, who deserved nothing less than expulsion for the entire term. I wonder why no action was taken against Raj Thackeray for issuing a verbal diktat to Abu Azmi against his planned oath taking in Hindi? The deranged and highly unimaginative MNS Chief should be banned for life from contesting political elections and should be punished appropriately as a lesson to all other divisive characters in our society.
What was more disgusting was the mute spectator status of the ruling Congress party in Maharashtra. Why couldn’t it summon enough courage to stop that act of disruption of the MNS? If it thinks that by supporting MNS spread its wings, it will be able to weaken the Opposition and will be able to thrive and survive for long, then it is sadly mistaken. The Congress will soon see itself getting wiped out from the political canvas of the state. No one has ever succeeded in successfully rearing a monster; the latter has always bitten back, and hard. … Rahul Gandhi, are you listening???
I feel like LOL: laughing out loud on my beloved country’s LOL i.e. Line of Linguistic Divide.
God save India.
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