MOHD HIFZUR RAHMAN argued for replacing Hindi with Hindustani, the language that Mahatma Gandhi favoured, and which the Congress had agreed was “spoken from Bihar right up to Frontier”. In the greater interests of the country this question should be decided in a dispassionate atmosphere when feelings have sobered down.” Hindi, he said, was inferior to many South Indian languages: “This Hindi and Hindustani question is purely for the north. S V KRISHNAMOORTHY RAO too, said English should remain, and a future Parliament should decide on the matter. …English should continue as the official language for all purposes for which it was being used, till a time when an All India language is evolved, which will be capable of expressing the thoughts and ideas on various subjects, scientific, mathematical, literary, historical, philosophical, political…” NAZIRUDDIN AHMAD, by contrast, stressed: “…We should not make a declaration of an All India language all at once.
We do not want it to be said that there are two cultures here”. …It is in order to maintain this tradition that we want one language and one script for the whole country. For thousands of years one and the same culture has all along been obtaining here. India is an ancient country with an ancient history. Whatever decision is arrived by the majority must be accepted by the minority respectfully… We have accepted our country to be a secular State but we never thought that that acceptance implied the acceptance of the continued existence of heterogeneous cultures. If we differ on any issue, that can only be decided by votes. “Democracy can only function when majority opinion is honoured. SETH GOVIND DAS argued for “one language and one script”, and said that Hindi should replace English at the earliest. …If you touch one part of it the other things fall to pieces.” If I may emphasize it, it is an integrated whole. “The scheme… was the result of a great deal of discussion and compromise. N GOPALASWAMI AYYANGAR, member of the Drafting Committee, presented the initial draft and the first amendment, which said Hindi in Devanagari script should be the official language, but English should be used for at least 15 years.
These are edited excerpts of what some of the members of the Constituent Assembly said.
0 kommentar(er)
