KTR Advocates for Linguistic Diversity: Why India Thrives Without a National Language

Hyderabad, July 20 — The debate over Hindi as a national language continues. KT Rama Rao, the working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), firmly stated that India doesn’t have a national language and doesn’t need one. With 22 official languages and over 300 unofficial ones, he believes this diversity is vital to India’s identity.

At a recent event in Jaipur, he emphasized that language represents culture. “I’m not imposing Telugu on you, so why should Hindi be enforced on me?” he questioned, advocating for the preservation of India’s federal structure. KTR pointed out that India has thrived for more than 70 years without a national language, suggesting there’s no reason to change now.

He raised an important point about electoral representation. Southern states, known for adopting population control measures, should not lose representation in Parliament simply due to demographics. KTR highlighted a significant statistic: while Kerala has limited its population growth to just 69% since 1950, Uttar Pradesh has dramatically increased by 239%. This imbalance, he warned, could lead to a political shift that advantages northern states at the expense of the south through proposed delimitation measures.

“Using population alone for seat redistribution could centralize power in the Hindi heartland, overlooking the issues faced by other regions,” KTR cautioned. He pointed out the trend where policies might favor North India, leaving the interests of southern states sidelined.

Addressing recent unfulfilled promises by the BJP-led government, KTR criticized how Assembly seats were increased in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam but ignored legitimate requests from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. “Why should we trust promises about delimitation when our requests remain unaddressed?” he asked.

He also voiced concern about ongoing issues with electoral rolls, particularly in Bihar, where accusations arose that nearly 500,000 voters were removed from the lists. “In the last elections, the losing margin was only 12,500 votes. Voter suppression can alter outcomes,” he stated, making a strong plea for the Election Commission to act decisively.

This debate resonates with many across social media platforms. Users are expressing frustration over potential disenfranchisement and the perceived neglect of southern states in national conversations. As India grapples with its diverse linguistic and demographic landscape, discussions like these highlight the need for a more inclusive political dialogue.

In recent surveys, many users have shown a preference for maintaining local languages and cultures within the broader Indian framework, indicating a strong desire for representation that reflects the nation’s diversity.

For more insights on the intersection of language and politics in India, you can check India’s official government portal for updates and information.

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