Give Mother Tongues Due Weight: AXX (Axam Xahitya Xabha) To PM Narendra Modi

GUWAHATI: The AXX (Axam Xahitya Xabha) has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to adopt a policy of ‘not recruiting people who are educated only in English, but bereft of any command over their mother tongues’.

Talking to The Sentinel on Saturday, AXX president Paramananda Rajbongshi said, “India has not been able to free itself from the linguistic aggression from English and its culture even as it got Independence way back in 1947. ‘Sovereignty’ and ‘unity in diversity’ can’t be a reality in the nation if the citizens have no command over their mother tongues. At a time when most of the Indians have developed their intellectual pursuits with command over three/four languages, the majority of upper middle class people are getting their wards educated only in English with blithe disregard to their respective mother tongues. What’s worrisome is that scholars with command over various languages, besides their mother tongues are seen nowhere in Indian administration and education due to the onslaught of people educated only in English.”

Rajbongshi said: “We’re not against the English language. We, however, firmly believe that national life is simply not possible without command over mother tongues. To this effect, we’re going to send an email to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with copies to the President and the Vice President of India. We’re also going to meet the Prime Minister this month.”

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