Linguistic Secularism in India

Context

• According to the 2011 Census, there are 121 languages and 270 mother tongues in India. About 96.71% of the population of the country speaks one of the 22 scheduled languages as their mother tongue.
• The pluralistic democracy of the country is deeply rooted in the idea of linguistic secularism. However, recent political and administrative trends point towards the imposition of Hindi, raising concerns about linguistic majoritarianism.

Linguistic Secularism in India

• In a multilingual society like India, linguistic secularism is a constitutional and democratic principle of giving equal respect and protection to all languages.
• It is mainly contained in Articles 29, 30 and 343-351 of the Constitution. The three-language formula ensures linguistic diversity in education and governance.

Constitutional provisions related to language in India

• Article 343: Hindi as the official language of the Union
• Article 344 and 351: Promote Hindi but also develop other languages
• Article 29 and 30: Cultural and educational rights of linguistic minorities
• Article 350A and 350B: Education in mother tongue; appointment of special officers for linguistic minorities

Need for linguistic secularism in India

• Unity in diversity: Language is a major identity mark. Imposition of one language threatens national integration.
• Federalism: Language is part of the State List; imposition by the Centre may weaken the autonomy of the State.
• Cultural preservation: Every language has its own unique literary, cultural and historical significance.
• Inclusivity in governance: Linguistic inclusiveness ensures effective public service delivery.

Issues related to language imposition

• Imposition of Hindi as the ‘national’ language in official use, government examinations and education.
• Non-Hindi speaking states (especially the South and Northeast) see it as a threat to their regional identity.
• Threat of linguistic alienation among Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Bengali and tribal speakers.

Way Forward

• Need to strengthen the three-language formula with flexibility and regional sensitivity.
• Promote multilingual education, not just Hindi or English.
• Ensure equal representation of all major Indian languages in examinations, administration and signage.
• Establish language commissions to protect regional and tribal languages.
• Promote digital and technological support for less spoken languages.

Conclusion

India’s linguistic diversity is a strength. Protection of linguistic secularism is essential for federal harmony, cultural richness and preservation of democratic values. Any attempt towards linguistic homogeneity could threaten the foundations of India's pluralism.