Do you think language should be given priority over other criteria for state reorganisation?.
- Ambedkar felt that a state should have a people of one language to have uniformity and to retain linguistic culture. At the same time, there could be two states where people spoke the same language. He proposed splitting single-language states.
- Gandhian Potti Sriramulu died on December 16, 1952, after a 58-day fast demanding a separate Andhra state for Telugu-speaking people (to be carved out of Madras Presidency). This prompted the central government to go for the SRC and triggered the formation of linguistic states.
Language to be given priority over other criteria:
- The Fazl Ali commission recognised language apart from other factors.
- Satisfy people’s aspirations, provide political representation and resolve border disputes like the recent Belgaum one to transfer it to Maharashtra.
- To maintain political stability and avoid causing alienation.
- Convenience for people to be able to connect with state administration in their mother tongue
Reasons for not giving priority to language over other criteria:
- Considering Hindi as a criterion in the north will ensure a large state creating instability as Doctor Ambedkar had remarked.
- Disputes still persist like for control over Bombay in the 50s.
- Practical limitations with effect on linguistic minorities.
- Language and ethnicity overlap in the northeast, so it may not be best practicable criteria.
Since inter-state disputes involve people’s emotions and political stakeholders, there is a greater need for stakeholders involved to resolve these issues with greater political will, and a spirit of consensus.
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