As the experience of India in the decades following Independence establishes, the only option that is available to a multilingual society is that of recognising and validating linguistic identities. Even as democratic societies learn to respect diversity, it is possible that new trans-linguistic communities around work and leisure-time are constructed. The denial of language, on the other hand, is to invite conflict. This has been sadly proved by the experience of our neighbour — Sri Lanka.
The writer is professor of political science, University of Delhi
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