Odia language specialists oppose imposition of Hindi on non-Hindi talking states

By IANS

BHUBANESWAR: Language specialists from Odisha have raised a powerful voice towards Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial assertion on imposition of Hindi language on non-Hindi talking states.

Presiding over the thirty seventh assembly of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee in New Delhi lately, Shah had stated that Hindi must be the choice to English for communication amongst Indians drawing ire from all.

This assertion from a tall chief like Shah has left the individuals of Odisha a nervous lot as they’ve an emotional attachment with Odia language and really feel happy with it.

The roots of Odisha begun from the Odia language. Odisha was declared as a separate state on April 1, 1936 (pre-independent) for its language. In reality, Odisha is the primary state, which has been declared as a separate province on linguistic foundation.

“We strongly oppose the forceful imposition of Hindi on us. We had raised our voice in the past and we will never allow imposition of Hindi language on the Odia people,” stated Dillip Dashsharma, from Utkal Sammilani, which had performed a significant function within the formation of Odisha.

In the National Education Policy (NEP), the Union authorities says that the medium of instructing at main stage will likely be within the mom tongue. However, the union residence minister is contradicting the coverage, he stated.

Similarly, Tathagata Satpathy, a former MP from Odisha, has additionally strongly opposed this assertion of Shah. Writing an editorial titled “Hindi Again” in his English day by day newspaper, Orissa Post, Satpathy stated forcible imposition of Hindi will squeeze different regional languages and possibly the current political management hopes fluent Hindi talking leaders will then appear extra interesting to voters all throughout the nation.

“It is up to the states to decide what their language of communication should be. There cannot be a fiat from the Centre not to use English. There is no doubt that English is a foreign language but it is equally foreign for all citizens,” the previous Parliamentarian stated.

Stating India too is a really numerous nation, he stated any use of pressure in the present day might presumably lead to unforeseeable disasters tomorrow.

Hrushikesh Mallick, president of Odisha Sahitya Akademi, too expressed his displeasure over Shah’s controversial assertion. Mallick stated he isn’t towards the Hindi language. However, it must be forcefully imposed on all, he stated.

“Hindi should be an optional language. Mother tongue, in Odisha, it is Odia, must remain the first language for the people of our state,” stated Mallick.