How did the Constituent Assembly seek to resolve the language controversy?
India is very big country. It has many different regions. Different varieties of people live here and speak different languages. So for a new nation like India it was necessary to give proper attention to the intricacies of different languages. Hindustani: Hindustani was a choice for the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi. Congress had already decided to adopt Hindustani as the national language of the country. Mahatma Gandhi was also in favour of adopting Hindustani as the national language and supported strongly for this view. He argued that everyone should speak in a language which is understood by most of the common people. Hindustani was not a new language. It was a blend of Hindi and Urdu. It was enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures and spoken by most of the people of the country.
Hindi: R.V. Dhulekar pleaded in favour of Hindi for adopting it as the national language. He came from the United Province and a Congressman. He wanted that Hindi should be used as language of constitution-making . He even said that those who did not know Hindustani were not worthy to be the members of the Constituent Assembly.
Report of the Language Committee: The language Committee of the Constituent Assembly suggested a compromise formula in its report. It suggested that Hindi in Devnagri script should be the official language of the country and tried to resolve the issue. It also suggested that transition from English to Hindi should be gradual. It was also suggested that during first fifteen years since adoption of the Constitution, English would continue to serve as for official purposes. So it was clear that the Language Committee referred Hindi as the official language not the national language. Threat to South: The members of the Constituent Assembly who belonged to the Southern India were apprehensive of the view. They felt that Hindi would be a threat to their provincial languages. Shankar Rao from Bombay . T.A. Ramalingam Chettiar and Mrs. G. Durgabai of Madras suggested that issue of language required utmost care and needed to be handled efficiently and dextrally. Hindi should not be thrust upon the people of South India.
What historical forces shaped the vision of the Constitution?
What were the arguments in favour of greater power to the provinces?
How was the term minority defined by different groups?
Why did Mahatma Gandhi think Hindustani should be the national language?
Discuss the different arguments made in favour of protection of the oppressed groups.
What connection did some of the members of the Constituent Assembly make between the political situation of the time and the need for a strong Centre?
What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives Resolution?
Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
Why did the mutinous sepoys in many places turn to erstwhile rulers to provide leadership to the revolt?
To what extent are census data useful in reconstructing patterns of urbanisation in the colonial context?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
What did the Muslim League demand through its resolution of 1940?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on the part of the rebels.
What do the terms “White” and “Black” Town signify?
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
Why did some people think of Partition as a very sudden development?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
What did the rebels want? To what extent did the vision of different social groups differ?
Why was British India partitioned?
Find out about the route of the Dandi March. On a map of Gujarat plot the line of the march and mark the major towns and villages that it passed along the route.Find out about the route of the Dandi March. On a map of Gujarat plot the line of the march and mark the major towns and villages that it passed along the route.
How was Mahatma Gandhi perceived by the peasants?
Why is Partition viewed as an extremely significant marker in South Asian history?
How did Mahatma Gandhi seek to identify with the common people?
Why was the revolt particularly widespread in Awadh? What prompted the peasants, taluqdars and zamindars to join the revolt?
What were Mahatma Gandhi’s arguments against Partition?
In what way did Mahatma Gandhi transform the nature of the national movement?