Linguistic Secularism: The Soul of India's Diversity

Language is an integral part of human existence. It not only shapes our personal
identity but also plays a significant role in our professional and social lives. India, a
vibrant democracy, stands tall as a symbol of inclusivity and pluralism. With hundreds of
languages and dialects spoken across its length and breadth, the country is a living
testament to linguistic diversity.

In such a multilingual landscape, it becomes crucial to understand the difference
between linguistic secularism and linguistic militancy. Linguistic secularism promotes
respect for all languages and cultures, while linguistic militancy seeks to impose one
language over others—something that goes against the very grain of India's ethos.

A common misconception is that the Indian government is trying to impose Hindi as the
national language. It’s important to clarify that Hindi, spoken by approximately 40% of
the Indian population, is an official language but not a national language. India does not
have a national language. The Constitution of India recognizes 22 scheduled languages
and promotes equal respect for all.

The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 introduced the three-language formula to
encourage multilingualism. However, it does not mandate the imposition of Hindi.
Instead, it provides flexibility and aims to promote learning in one's mother tongue or
regional language, especially in the foundational years. This reinforces India’s
commitment to linguistic secularism, not militancy.

Despite this, linguistic tensions do arise. A recent example includes the controversy
around actor Kamal Haasan’s statement suggesting that Kannada evolved from Tamil,
which hurt the sentiments of many Kannada speakers and led to public backlash.
Another incident involved a Kannada-speaking auto-rickshaw driver being disrespected
by a non-Kannada-speaking woman—an episode that caught media attention and
reignited the North-South language divide discourse.

Yet, these incidents, while unfortunate, remain isolated. They have not shaken the
foundational principle of linguistic harmony in India. The spirit of unity in diversity
continues to thrive because the majority of Indians understand the importance of
respecting all languages and cultures.
As educators, parents, and citizens, it is our responsibility to instill the same values in
future generations. Teaching children to respect not just different languages but also the
cultures and histories they represent is essential for sustaining India's democratic and
inclusive character.
Linguistic secularism is not just a policy—it’s the very essence of being Indian.

Ms Shreya Chopra
HOD Social Science
Pacific World School