Linguistic Integration in Chennai

‘Matri Basha Diwas’ was celebrated in Chennai on 27^th February. UNESCO has proclaimed February 21 as International Mother Language Day to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity. 

Around 11 languages were represented by respective delegates. Synopsis of the delegates who presented their views are hereunder. 

As the history reveals, the same language which is used to bind us became the cause of divide.  Several concerns were raised and solutions were put up.  India has 22 scheduled languages and thousands of local languages. When we Indians can have crores of God, then why can’t we accept thousands of languages?  Language was never used to be a bone of contention until British turned up on our land.  On one side they promoted Hindi, Tamil, Odiya, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi etc.  and encouraged people to promote their mathri basha, on the other they injected hatred towards Maasi Bhasha (cousin languages). On the third front, they started injecting English into our education system.

The situation we see today is not one day show, it was our societal weakness of which British used and are still slaving us.  Language is a sense of pride, Nationalism and an identity of an individual and society.  We Indians have been put into great dilemma; we have started quoting English to be our primary language.  Local languages have become extinct. 

Shri Paswakumar, Perambur Bhag Sanghachalak presided over the event.  

Smt Alamelu Krishnan, linguistic scholar quoted, “People should learn and use their mother tongue”. Many researches quotes, the best learnings can be gained in mother tongue only. 

A delegate of Vagriboli, a Narikuravar (tribal) language which is an alloy of several Indian language shared pride of his language.

Rupa, who is one of the 20 lakh Tulu language speaking people shared her fear of losing her language to hegemonic local and global languages. 

Indian languages belongs to each other and all are the roots from the parent language Sanskrit. We should respect and accept each other to grow together.

English cannot be ignored but we should not accept it on the cost of our Mother tongue.  Intellectualism should not be confused of good English speaking skills.  We should grow multidimensionally by keeping our roots intact.  No language is untouchable.  Use it as a tool instead of getting tilled in English.  

Shri Ramachandran, Samskrita Bharati in his concluding speech said that it is the Bharatiya parampara to offer linguistic samarpana to the society in its pure form as it is given by Ishwara. 

Shri Pradeep Saboo, Ambattur Jilla Sanghachalak coordinated the event and Shri Rajkumar, Tambaram bhag Kudumba Probodhan Pramuk thanked the gathering.