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Hindi as the National language- advantages and disadvantages.

Introduction:
Eighth Schedule of the Indian constitution recognized the 22 languages as the official language of India. Hindi, most number of people speaking language of India, gained the special status through the article 394 of the Indian constitution. But Hindi is not the National language of India. Since independence, there was a conflict in recognizing Hindi as the National Language. Till now, we did not have any language as the National language instead we have 22 official languages including English.

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Advantages and Disadvantages:

Culture: India as a picture of "Unity in Diversity" can be best seen in her rich diversified culture and heritage. This rich and diversified culture is due to the large number of languages and dialects. According to census, more than 30 languages and more than thousand dialects are spoken by Indians. While recognizing the Hindi or any other language as the National Language, it promotes the growth of one. At the same time, it will lead to death of other languages. Language is not only for communication, it is a tool to understand the history and culture. The easiest way to destroy the country is to destroy its culture. The death of language leads to death of culture. The best example for this is death of Pali language. Despite Pali language was language of commons when recognizing the Sanskrit as the court language, it brings death to the Pali. Today, we are unable to decode the Pali and unable to understand the full history of our country.

Administration:
When Hindi becomes the National Language, it improves the administration, will lead to fast response from the government side and faster implementation of Government schemes, since the majority of the people knows Hindi very well. But these benefits are only confined to people who know Hindi. This will create the discrimination between people who have Hindi knowledge and others in opportunities. It will destroy the basic structure of constitution- "equal opportunity for all".

English Language:
When declaring the Hindi as the national language, it will provide the pathways to people to know one more language- Hindi in the Non Hindi speaking States and at the same time it will shut down the pathway to know English – Unofficial world Language in all states of India. This indirectly affects our growth in the International Market.

National Symbol
The purpose of the National Symbol to manifests its culture history and to promote its national Integration. Government of India recognized Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Oriya as the classical language, not Hindi. While recognizing the Hindi as our National language, it will not manifest the culture history of India to the world.

When Hindi became the National Language, it will lead to the situation India only for people who knows Hindi. Instead of promoting the national integration, declaration of Hindi as national Language will create the Linguistic barrier among people and collapses the national Integration.

Conclusion:
India is the birth place of many language and dialects. Duty of the government is to build bridges not the walls. When declaring the one among many as national language of India will not bridges the people instead it separates others. Instead of promoting Hindi, Government should take steps to promote other languages, it will save our culture.

M. Nagaraj

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