Have all the burning problems of India ceased to exist that the politicians are now affording the luxury of playing politics with languages and thereby posing a further assault on the already deeply fractured society? It is a matter of utmost disgrace that instead of focusing all energies, time and resources to end the menace and ills of sexual atrocities, honour-killings, poverty, illiteracy, mal-nourishment, hunger, superstition, communalism, casteism and regionalism which are not only breaking the spine of the society, but also reflecting the “elite”(thanks to Mars-mission) India is in an extremely poor light in international forum; the politicians, both at Centre and different states, are engaged in meaningless rabid linguistic fanaticism.
Firstly, all students should definitely be seriously taught their respective mother tongues in schools so as to make them aware of their roots, literature and cultural legacy. This is the main reason why the UNESCO puts forward 21st February as “International Mother Language Day” to promote linguistic and cultural diversity. And how can such diversities be maintained if the mother tongues are denied patronage in schools which form the base of the society? Else the whole world will become the exclusive fiefdom of few languages, thereby making the world less heterogeneous and more poorer.
However due to multi-lingual status of India where migration is a constant phenomenon, innumerable communities do reside in each and every state. Thus it is practically not possible to ensure that students from each and every linguistic group can pursue their mother tongue in schools of a particular state. Thus the least the authorities can do is to see to it that the indigenous population can study their mother tongues, at least as a subject, in all schools located in their land of origin. For example, Bengali, Tamil and Konkani should necessarily be taught in all schools in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Goa respectively.
Also studying of the indigenous language of the respective states should be made mandatory for students of all linguistic groups and in all schools irrespective of its affiliation to State or Central boards including the Kendriya Vidyalays. Thus when a child will remain thoroughly acquainted with his/her mother tongue, indigenous language of the state concerned and English; the child will not only grow up to be a confident personality, he/she will also acquire a national as well as international mindset, that too without getting detached from his/her roots.
Apart from English and the indigenous language of the concerned state; schools can or should offer a variety of languages both of Indian vintage (including Sanskrit) and foreign roots like French, German, Chinese, Spanish or Portuguese which students can take up as the third language.
It is indeed amazing to note how a simple issue like linguistic policy gets turned into a complex problem, thanks to the supreme parochialism of the politicians and vested interests of communal mindset!
