Time and again we get news reports about language disputes during the question hours in the both Houses of Parliament. Inspite of communication skill in English some ministers adamantly answer in Hindi, which is not understood by most of the members. Replies are not provided even in the regional language of the member who posed the question.
Recently Union Home Ministry conveyed its assent that India has no exclusive National language. A social activist Pandiya Raja of Thenkasi District in Tamil Nadu had posed his questions in English seeking information pertaining to the death of elephants caused by trains. North Indian Railway authorities had replied in Hindi. Whenever queries are sent from Tamil Nadu seeking the explanation from the Union government, under RTI (Right to Information Act), replies are being sent only in Hindi, the content of which cannot be understood.
Social activist Pandiya Raja had sent some other queries to the Union Home ministry. The questions were related to Indian languages. Those questions were forwarded by the ministry to the Department of official languages. Washing its hands of the issue, they had stated in their reply that they have not received so far any order as to which language replies are to be sent in, for questions received in English under RTI Act.
The department of official languages had added that if the informing officer answers in Hindi for a question in English, he does not get punished. They had further stated that the rules of official language framed in 1976 are not applicable to Tamil Nadu.
After the reorganisation of linguistic States in 1956, the Official Language Rule (OLR) 1976 classified the States and the Union Territory in respect of usage of official language. As per official language rule, Tamil Nadu which comes under category -C should be restricted to its regional language, with the support of English. Hindi or any other unintelligible tongue cannot be imposed on it as per the assent. Hence, the baffling dispute over language cropped up now is perplexing indeed.
