[Assam] Majority Opinion

[Krishnendu Chakraborty]

The discussion was not about official language.  The whole debate started when Umesh questioned why Susanta should teach Bengali in Assam.  Sure Karnataka does not restrict teaching any language if there are willing students.

Then Umesh moved on asking why Susanta want to write Bengali articles.

As we understand,  Susanta has written in Prantik and that would imply his Assamese language skills is at least as good as an average Assamese person.  

Given this,  does he have a right to practise his mother tongue without showing any disrespect to local language?  That is the crux of the discussion here.

As for official language ---  Assam is not alone to have multiple official language.  There are more then one official language in WB, Goa, HP etc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_language_of_India#Official_languages_at_the_state_level).

Even in Karnataka,  the minority languages are promoted by Tulu Sahitya Akademi and the Kodava Sahitya Akademi  which are patronized by Govt.

I am all for one official language  .  In fact I will suggest Hindi be considered as official langage all over India .   Did I hear a murmur .. Hindi hegemony .  But then Hindi is spoken by majority in India. That brings us to the core problem -- how do you decide what should be the official language ?  The one spoken by majority? At which level?  In national level, it is Hindi, in State level it will be Assamese or Kannad, move further to district and village levels and the "majority" changes.

Do we want to divide the states further to decide on official language? 



--- On Wed, 12/3/08, DR BIKASH KUMAR DAS <biku006 at yahoo.co.in> wrote:

> From: DR BIKASH KUMAR DAS <biku006 at yahoo.co.in>
> Subject: Re: [Assam] Majority Opinion
> To: assam at assamnet.org, krish_gau at yahoo.com
> Cc: "Umesh Sharmah" <umesh.sh05 at post.harvard.edu>
> Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 2:42 AM
> Friends please revisit-
>  
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assamese_script
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_script
>  
> Basically both are european Brahmic group of language and
> Bengalee divided from Assamese.
> But right now re building Assam is more important.As I live
> in Karnataka-I do speak kannada,this place is also having
> Tamil and Telegu languages in more including Malayalee.But
> here outside used languages never give pressure to finish
> off the state language.In Assam things are fully
> different.All wanted to press their own force and go
> challanging moods to kick off Assamese- thats
> hurting.Karnataka also got Konkani .Thulu in the coastal
> region, marathi in Belgaum etc,Like upper assam lower
> Assam, Kannada in Mysore is different,Bangalore is
> differrent.Tension is not here as I said none forces to kick
> the local language or culture.Here like any state Kannada is
> mandatory in offices.Even go to RTO or anywhere, get the
> form in Kannada.SDame way in Kerala,TN also.How you write is
> your head ache.WE need to do same in Assam also.Let people
> say so many languages, but as whole Assamese remains till
> the great end.If All Assam Sahitya Sabha only keps busy
> having
>  annual adhibexan.. only, I got nothing more to say.I find
> they are not interested to unite the growing partitions
> inside.
>  
> Bikash
> 
> --- On Tue, 2/12/08, Krishnendu Chakraborty
> <krish_gau at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
>  
> 
> 
>       Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to
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