Hindi is not our National language

Most Indians assume that Hindi is the National Language of India. The truth, though, is not that simple. Hindi is just an official language of the country or the Union and there are regional languages which could be the official languages of various states.

I am a south Indian, my mother tongue being Telugu, I can speak  Hindi and English effortlessly. Few years ago, when I started my journey in Delhi I didn't know a single word in Hindi. A lot of people asked me why I couldn’t converse in our national language i.e Hindi according to them. What people fail to understand is that India is a conglomeration of many linguistic sub-nations and even after 70 years of independence people are still ignorant of the fact that India doesn’t have one national language but has 22 official languages.

People forget to notice the existence of different languages in different states of India which are completely different from each other. The culture of each state is different. The values, principles, beliefs and customs; all differ from state to state and intra-state differences are also found in  numerous cases. When are people going to accept these huge dissimilarities amongst people?

But the fight over supremacy of language in India started before independence and is still continuing. Why should there be one language to be prioritized? And why should that language be Hindi?

In a secular and diverse country like India where many languages are spoken by the people, promoting and making only one language(Hindi) as National Language will not quantify us as following the principle of equality. A lot of statistics claim that more than 50% of Indians talk in Hindi whereas the truth is not even close. How can someone mix Marwari into Hindi and mix it with the Hindi speaking statistics? The former comes from Rajasthani whereas the later is Hindi altogether a diferent one.

Non Hindi States language is safe even when English is being used but, in Hindi imposed states regional languages are on threat.A lot of people from the north India come from various other languages like Punjabi, Haryanvi, Rajasthani etc. but they fail to learn and write in their own language as Hindi is being implemented in their respective states. Making one language superior to others will only end embracing other languages equally.

It is immoral that the onus of national integration should be placed squarely on the shoulders of non-Hindi speakers while Hindi speakers get a free-pass throughout India. Imposition is a form a violence.If at all, all the languages mentioned under Schedule VIII of the constitution are equally national languages of India, and no special place can or should be given to Hindi.

We are taught right from childhood to respect each other, but somehow this does not find a manifestation when it comes to respecting the heterogeneity of the Indian society. With respect comes unity, with unity comes strength and a sense of belonging which would help us stand united and lead us on to grow in a holistic manner.