Voicing unhappiness over states "ignoring" development of languages like Urdu,Union minorities affairs minister K Rahman Khan today demanded bringing in a law that will make it mandatory for them to implement the recommendations of Linguistic Minority Commission.
He said that the minority affairs ministry has sent recommendations of the Commission for development of languages like Urdu to state governments who simply "ignored" them.
"The framers of our Constitution felt that languages, which form linguistic minorities, will be ignored. So the position of a Linguistic Minority Commissioner was created. But sadly, this post has remained confined to a ritualistic domain," Rahman said here.
"I think a law should be created so that state governments are compelled to work for these languages," Khan said, adding, "You may write whatever in the Constitution but until you create a law, nobody pays attention."
The National Commissioner Linguistic minorities is based in Allahabad. Article 350B of the Constitution provides for the appointment by President of a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities.
It is his duty to investigate all matters relating to safeguards provided for the linguistic minorities and report to the President at such intervals as may be fixed.
Khan said Urdu lovers should create pressure so that governments work for its development.
"What is the reason that gradually Urdu is being ignored. I sense a conspiracy somewhere," he said.
The minister also said that after the linguistic reorganisation of states, 'Urdu' was orphaned despite being the mother tongue of 12 crore people.
He was speaking at the launch function of news agency UNI's Urdu website. Union minister of state for statistics and programme implementation Srikant Jena said that the introduction of English by the British had damaged Urdu.
"When the British came, there was an attack on Hindi and Urdu. I would say that Urdu suffered maximum after English came in. The English launched it diplomatically in which they were successful," Jena said.
"I am not criticising English language. The British did not know Hindi or Urdu, so to run the administration they allowed the penetration by Eenglish," Jena said while stressing that "saving our languages is important".
