Sajeetharan- We can treat all languages spoken in India as national but we cannot make these official language of the centre. The question of is smooth functioning. English is the only language that is effectively used in centre.

I agree with Chinmoy. He has well explained role of English in unifying India in a multi-linguistic environment. We use items invented in the west and wear foreign dress. Even our constitution is based on western values. Democracy and republic are western concepts. There is no problem in accepting English as the only official language of the nation. We should stop wasting money on so called official language implementation committee (Raj Bhasha Karyanayan samiti). Endless meetings are held throughout India to promote Hindi in government offices and banks. The government offices play funny by doing all work in English and using Hindi only for writing forwarding memos and reminders. If Hindi could not be working language of Centre even after sixty years of becoming republic, there is no point in further wasting efforts and money.

@Gulshan

You have drawn our attention to another area which is wanton wastage of money in the name of promoting Hindi.It has not produced the results over the years.

I think adopting English is good for our prosperity. But it may hinder the promotion of our own languages.

I agree with Gulshan and Chinmoy has very rightly pointed out the role of English in a multilingual country like ours!!

Abid, while English is the most understood language throughout the country, it may raise problem with regards to our own languages! Even now, many youngsters feel ashamed to talk in their own mother tongues! I think this problem is more of a personal preferences and the attitudes surrounding the particular language! This could only be addressed in our own homes where our own mother tongue should be preferred over English! While English is necessary to conduct official businesses outside home, the parents should insist on the mother tongue while at home!

I don't see that use of English can hinder the development of regional language.Even in the heyday of British Raj the Bengali literature produced such luminaries like Rabindra Nath Tagore and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and Bankim Chandra Chattterjee.

Abid- Adopting English as the only official language of the Centre by elevating its status from 'associate official language, promotion of 'own' languages in not hindered. English is also our own language. The state governments, courts at various levels and local bodies use the regional languages. So there is no fear of other languages being retarded. Chinmoy has aptly explained how Bengali literature was enriched despite use of English.

In fact even our late Prime minister Jahwarlal Nehru himself a great litterateur emphasised that knowledge of more than one language enriches the mother tongue too.