National Language v/s Official Language

This is very interesting stuff I came across one fine day while reading the Indian constitution and I cross verified too. Am putting it up on the blog.

According to the Indian Constitution there is no concept of a NATIONAL LANGUAGE however there are OFFICIAL LANGUAGES.

Article 343 of the constitution talks about Hindi and English being the Official Language of the Union, however every State can have her own Official Language which can be same or different than that of the Union. As of now there are 22 Official Languages of India which includes Marathi too. Need I say there is nothing like a REGIONAL LANGUAGE.

And this was contrary to what I studied in school that Hindi is the national language of the country. Below is the brief of Article 343:


343. Official language of the Union.—(1) The official language of the
Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script .
The form of numerals to be used for the official purposes of the Union
shall be the international form of Indian numerals .
(2) Notwiths tanding anything in clause (1) , for a per iod of fifteen years
from the commencement of this Constitution, the English language shall
continue to be used for all the official purposes of the Union for which it
was being used immediately before such commencement :
Provided that the President may, dur ing the said period, by order
authorise the use of the Hindi language in addition to the English language
and of the Devanagari form of numerals in addition to the international
form of Indian numerals for any of the official purposes of the Union.
(3) Notwi ths tanding anything in thi s ar t icle, Parliament may by law
provide for the use, after the said per iod of fifteen years , of—
(a) the English language, or
(b) the Devanagari form of numerals ,
for such purposes as may be specified in the law.

Our way of LIFE

Fast asleep was I way before the midnight chimes,
For I had no promises to keep nor did I have to sing any rhymes.
If a tryst with destiny had already been made,
Then why bare were we laid?

Shooting earned us fame,
But the shoot-out after the blasts was the name of the game.
Nothing changed for us,
For our indomitable SPIRIT was our unfailing ruse!!!!

Our hotels were back up on their feet,
A nearby café was now decorated with bullet marks near the seat.
We acted tough for sometime,
Opposing the deadly slime.

But soon the frenzy will be made to die down,
The SPIRIT will be smothered into submission without a whimper or even a sound.
For this will be our way of life,
Where insecurity, malice and terror will be rife.

-Advait

(These are my musings on the last night of 2008, pessimistic I agree but only HOPE without actions is same as DAY-DREAMING)