Handle language matters with care!

The Union Home-minister's statement about Hindi language as the common language in the country to unify the whole India raised a storm all over the country, evoking strong protests against his statement mostly from the southern countries.

Of course, sensing the storm brewing in the states and the agitating mood of the politicians in these states, the Home-minister stated that his statement was misquoted, misinterpreted and misunderstood and clarified that Hindi would remain as the second language in the country.

It's not the first time that politicians in power at the Centre made such statements regarding Hindi language and attempted in vain to impose Hindi as the common, official language and withdrew their futile misadventure in the wake of severe agitations raged against the imposition of Hindi in southern India.

Politicisation of the language-issue has been the recurring phenomenon which our politicians in power at the Centre keep alive without bothering about the linguistic sentiments, cultural ethos of states and national integrity of the country.

What is quite disturbing and shameful is that our politicos have desperately failed to understand the true and essential nature of India. India is not what our politicians view and present in their statements.

Viewed from one particular language, or a religion or a culture, our politicos woefully fail to capture the wholeness and uniqueness of INDIA and consequently, their vision of INDIA is the distortion of what "TRUE INDIA" is.

India cannot be captured and its true identity can never be defined in terms of a particular language or a religion or a culture. Indian culture unlike most of the countries in the world is not monolithic one.

A multi-lingual and multi-cultural country, India's identity reflects in its rich diversity that is manifested so beautifully in its various and varied languages, religions and cultures.

Every state in the country has its own language which, though termed as a regional language in fact is the language of the nation and in its own unique way, enriches the diversity of the country.

No language should be belittled and no language should be treated as a superior one to other languages on the basis of its majority speakers.

Languages in India never divide people in the country and as Indians, we all respect all Indian languages ,simply because each language is endowed with the distinctive Indian flavor.

It is only politicos who, with an eye on the expansion of their political empire, attempt to divide the country in the name of language. Hindi is no doubt a great language that should be respected and learnt.

But to voice that Hindi is the only language that alone unites the whole country is far from truth and any attempt to impose Hindi by any means as the common, official language disturbs the peace in the country and poses threat to the unity of the country.

"Unity in diversity" is what our politicians realize and absorb about India. Let wisdom prevail over our politicos and they will refrain from making unwise attempts to break the integrity and unity of the country in the name of language.

Dr Venugopala Rao Kaki, Kakinada