BJP MLA seeks inclusion of Hindi in APSC mains terming it 'Rastra Bhasha' defying Constitution

By Devabrata Dutta

GUWAHATI: As the Constitution of India does not recognise any language as "National Language", in Hindi "Rastra Bhasha", disobeying that very rule, the Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Lakhipur named Kaushik Rai has asked the government to include Hindi as a qualifying Language paper in the state's most prestigious Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) main examination claiming it India's national language.

Kaushik Rai in his question to Personnel Department, at the ongoing Budget Session of the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly, has asked, "Why Hindi being our Rastra Bhasa has not been included in the qualifying Language paper exams of APSC and other qualifying exams of State like Assamese, Bengali and Bodo?"

In his fourth question, Rai has also taken note of various organisations' appeal to include Hindi as a subject along with other six literature in the main examinations of APSC caliming "Hindi being our Rastra Bhasa".

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Though the Personnel Department, which is held by also the chief minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a written response said that Assamese being the official language and Bodo being the associate official language of the state, Bengali being the official language of the Barak Valley, it is imperative that selected candidates have minimum required knowledge of these three languages as they are going to serve the State of Assam.

The department has also informed Rai that Hindi is already included as of one the six literature for the Main Examination of Combined Competitive Examination held by APSC.

Though Article 343(1) of the Indian Constitution mentioned that "The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script" but through legislation, states within India have the liberty and powers to specify their own official language(s). Hence there is no such national language or Rastra Bhasa in India and Rai's claim violates this article of the Constitution directly.

Rai has asked to add Manipuri Language as one of the qualifying languages along with Assamese, Bengali and Bodo in the examinations conducted by APSC as well.

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