Sanskrit as India’s official language? Ex-CJI Bobde cites 1949 media reports
The former CJI cited media reports from 1949 to suggest that the proposal had previously been supported by BR Ambedkar.
Former Chief Justice Sharad Bobde on Friday batted for Sanskrit at the official language of India. While India does not have a national language, Hindi and English are considered to be the official languages of the country. States within India can specify their own official languages through legislation.
"I don't think this issue (of official language) should remain unresolved. It has remained unresolved since 1949. There are grave dangers of miscommunication in governance and administration of justice, though this is not the place to discuss," he said today. Bobde was addressing the Akhil Bhartiya Chhatra Sammellan organised by Sanskrit Bharti.
The retired CJI cited media reports from 1949 to suggest that the proposal had previously been supported BR Ambedkar. According to Bobde, newspapers on September 11 that year reported that Ambedkar had initiated the move to have Sanskrit as the official language of India.
"I ask myself this question as to why Sanskrit cannot be the official language as Dr Ambedkar had proposed," he said.
Bobde noted that every chief justice receives representations seeking nod to introduce respective regional languages. While the official language is English at the High Court level, many HCs have had to allow applications, petitions and even documents in regional languages.
(With inputs from agencies)
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First Published:27 Jan 2023, 09:12 PM IST
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