Roots of our bad language narrative: From Colonial times till today ( A series of Articles)

Roots of our bad language narrative

From Colonial times till today

21st February: A day to remember struggle of #Tamils against imposition of #Hindi in 1940 and struggle of  #Bengalis against imposition of #Urdu in 1952. 

 ( A series of Articles)

Language issue is among vital controversial  common concerns we are facing since long. From print to digital, it took many turns, additions & deletions yet respect for linguistic diversity remains vital in dealing with it. After the invention of nation states it became part of power politics in so many ways and due to that divergence poets, linguistics and writers are no more the sole spokesmen of languages, dialects and scripts. In last 300 years or so, we witnessed demise of numerous languages, dialects and scripts not only in developing world but also in Europe & US too. One nation-One language policy, an exponent of nation state, largely pushed humanity away from a vital human resource while State ownership of media, education and law played the bad role in this regard. In this series I am trying to unfold those circumstances and explains what went wrong in South Asia in general and Pakistan in particular. Till to date I have written 8 parts and links are there. You can share your thoughts at aamirriaz1966@gmail.com

A Video Clip about Languages and Knowledge
Without knowing Pali, Sanskrit, Punjabi in all 5 scripts, Turkish and Persian we cannot understand our pre-colonial past and if we cannot know about pre-colonial past than we cannot understand what colonial masters did with us and with our societies. Time to rethinking for our Universities etc. Talk given by me at Layalpur Literary Festival in Faisalabad GC University Feb 6, 2018.
Click & Watch


part 1
اکستان وچ اساں کد تیک نوآبادیاتی لسانی پالیسیاں چلاندے رہواں گے؟ریاست دا لسانی بیانیہ کیوں کوڑ ہے اتے زباناں تے سیاست چمکاون والیاں  ’’جھگا‘‘کنج چوڑ کیتا ہے ایس بارے گل چھواں گے۔زباناں دی رنگا رنگی(diversity)نوں ہر پدر تے مننا پہلا اصول ہے پر ایس اصول نوں کیوں نہیں منیا گیا ایس بارے وی گل کراں گے۔زباناں اک دوجے کولوں سکھدیاں وی نیں تے اک دوجے نوں سکھاندیاں وی نیں۔پر سانوں زباناں، لہجیاں تے لپیئاں(رسم الخطاں) تے لڑنا کس، کیوں سکھایا اتے ایس تے کس کس دی سیاستاں چلدیاں تے پلدیاں نیں، ایس بارے وی پوری گل کراں گے۔ایہہ وی ویکھاں گے پئی دنیا کیہہ کیتا اتے پھیر ایس بارے وی گل کراں گے پئی ساڈے ایتھے کیہہ ہویا۔

In below link you can read all 8 parts. Here are few extracts

Nehru Report 1928 and fractured language narrative

Nehru Report was written by 8 authors and it includes many senior political intellectuals yet after reading 208 pages one can understand what political capital we had during 1920s . Just read how misleading the report was especially regarding bad narrative about languages. Punjabi, Pashtu, Balochi, Kashmiri were largely missing in it. Interestingly report's final draft was approved by some big names like Abul Kalam Azad, Dr Ansari, etc and they also signed that twisted report. Among its authors included big names like Tej Bhadur Sapru, Ali Imam, Shuaib qureshi, Subhash Chandar Bose, Pardhan, Aney and Mangal Singh along with Moti Lal Nehru while junior Nehru (Jawahar Lal) developed two twisted special reports about Bengal and the Punjab. In both reports there was a comparison of  ground realities as presented in 1921 census reports. The report is itself enough witness to uderstand how authors of the report twisted facts regarding languages in British India. (This is discussed in Part 6)

Need to revisit movement of reunification of the Bengal in the light of Language Religion nexus.
How extensively that movement used Religion and language and what were its impacts on future politics are areas largely missed in our post-colonial scholarship. In pre 1905 Bengal (correctly Bengal Presidency) Bengali speakers were less then 40% because presidency had larger states of Bihar and Orissa as well as Assam in it. So that movement had a cocktail of Hinduism and Bangla nationalism. Hindu religion based unification campaign strengthen  Congress conservatives like Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bippan etc but Dada Bhai Noro jilike liberals went on back seats. In the final analysis use of religion & nationalism in politics got strength. (it is discussed in part 7)

What Went Wrong?

Tricky Lukhnow Pact 1916 and its opposition specially in the Punjab and Bengal and the rise of provincial powers in 1920s due to consecutive provincial elections in 1920, 23 & 26 played greater role in unfolding language question but it remained under religious politics partly due to a mindset against diversity and largely due to limited colonial options. Manifesto of Mollana Ubaid ullah Sindhi (Program published from Turkey in 1924), C R Das formula 1925 and Allama Iqbal Allahbad address 1930 are among few examples in favor of religious and linguistic diversities but thanks to colonial approach & unitary mindset federalism and respect for diversity could not get due space. One fine example is question of Tamil language and bad handling from Congress ministry in 1938. Imposition of Hindi in Madras became a big challenge for Congress and South Asia had witnessed the First language martyrs. 

Interestingly Congress ministry had resigned in October 1939 unilaterally and the new governor had not only removed Hindi but also enhanced Tamil at 21 February 1940.  Interestingly, in 1999, when a campaign was launched in UN in favor of Mother Tongue, they had selected 21^st February  due to two incidents.  (It is discussed in Part 8)

Now you can read all 8 parts by clicking the link below

Part 1

http://www.wichaar.com/news/124/ARTICLE/32400/2017-02-19.html

Part 2

http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32411/2017-02-21.html

Part 3

http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32419/2017-02-22.html

Part 4

http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32451/2017-02-26.html

Part 5

http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32501/2017-03-05.html

Part 6
http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32554/2017-03-11.html
Part 7
http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32608/2017-03-20.html

Part 8
http://www.wichaar.com/news/119/ARTICLE/32690/2017-04-02.html

Will upload other parts once publish at www.wichaar.com

Watch the Discussion: Colonial Punjab, Twisted British Language Policy and bad Narrative

UNESCO position

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000120679.page=184

Linguistic diversity and multilingual educationBackground.Language teaching and particularly multilingual education are a key factor in the developmentof understanding among peoples and dialogue for peace. Accordingly, during the current biennium,UNESCO has redoubled its activities aimed at promoting linguistic diversity at all levels of educationand encouraging the practice of multilingualism. At the same time, it has reinforced its action to protectand enhance the linguistic heritage, especially that of indigenous populations and people belonging tominorities. The LINGUAPAX project has been refocused in such a way as to incorporate these differentobjectives within a harmonious framework of action.Strategy.The strategy will consist in supporting action by Member States to formulate and implementlanguage policies designed to: ensure linguistic diversity and multilingual education at all levels of education;strengthen language teaching and its methods; promote the implementation of linguistic rights as anintegral part of human rights; protect and revive local and vernacular languages, in particular thosewhich are endangered; promote linguistic diversity within written, audiovisual and electroniccommunication networks. The activities carried out in this connection – which will benefit from theassistance of the Advisory Committee for Linguistic Pluralism and Multilingual Education – will bedesigned and implemented in very close coordination with those relating to the protection and promotionof the intangible heritage (Subprogramme III.1.1), encouragement for translation (Programme III.2) andcommand of the new information and communication technologies (Intersectoral project on the “Ethicaland sociocultural challenges of the new information society”).Results expected at the end of the biennium National capacities to elaborate and implement language policies enhanced through: expansion and development of the activities within the Linguapax university network on regionaland subregional levels, especially with regard to indigenous and endangered languages; setting upof new UNESCO Chairs in the field of linguistics and sociolinguistics; preparation, translation and distribution of guides for teachers and trainers of trainers, adapted tothe linguistic and educational situations prevailing in the school context in Asia and Latin America; organization of regional seminars (Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa)for the training of teachers specializing in the teaching of mother tongues and foreign languages,in cooperation with the UNESCO Centre of Catalonia and the LINGUAPAX and APLANG universitynetworks; support provided to African Member States to follow up the recommendations of the Harare Conferencein linguistic policies; Encouragement for the introduction of policies for the preservation and revival of local and nationallanguages, following the publication of the UNESCO Report on the World’s Languages, whose contentwill reflect three lines of approach: description, explanation and measures to promote preservation; Public awareness promoted on the necessity to adopt additional measures to ensure better implemen-tation of linguistic rights through the preparation and dissemination of a “state of the art” concerningexisting normative and legislative instruments, both at international and national levels, which dealwith linguistic rights; An “International Mother Language Day” launched and to be observed on 21 February.Regular budget Activities:$371,500Extrabudgetary: $500,00005204Towards a culture of peace30 C/5 ApprovedRecapitulation