In its newest act of wisdom, the BMC along with the Mayor of Mumbai and the Commisioner (God Bless them....they need it) have formed a rule that would see all official correspondence happening in Marathi only, without english/ hindi translations annexed.
WOW!!!
Why ONLY Marathi? Because it is the regional language of Maharashtra- and of Shivaji Maharaj ?
With an archaic rule like this, even for a decently-abled Marathi reader, speaker and writer like myself, interacting with the State Government has become even more difficult. Not that I interact, but you get the point (I hope).
With an archaic rule like this, even for a decently-abled Marathi reader, speaker and writer like myself, interacting with the State Government has become even more difficult. Not that I interact, but you get the point (I hope).
Imagine the plight of a foreigner/ student wanting some key information about the city! Also, this rule will be applicable to the Right to Information Act- one of the most pro-citizen acts of Parliament after the Constitution of India, which itself is one of the finest English language documents in this world. Its chief architect was a Maharashtrian- the erudite and inspiring Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Trust me- the BMC will have even more excuses now to not give you the answers you are looking for.
When Gandhiji advocated the use of Khaadi against English cotton, the reason for that action was BEYOND communal and linguistic lines. If the Northern states use Hindi predominantly, it is because they speak it universally in North India. If Tamil Nadu and Kerala use Tamil and Malayalam extensively, it is because they have always been regarded as an outside community within the country.And they have been myopic States. But Maharashtra? Whether it was Shivaji, Tilak, Ambedkar, Pu La, Gavaskar or Tendulkar- Maharashtrian appeal was (and is) National, even International.
When Gandhiji advocated the use of Khaadi against English cotton, the reason for that action was BEYOND communal and linguistic lines. If the Northern states use Hindi predominantly, it is because they speak it universally in North India. If Tamil Nadu and Kerala use Tamil and Malayalam extensively, it is because they have always been regarded as an outside community within the country.And they have been myopic States. But Maharashtra? Whether it was Shivaji, Tilak, Ambedkar, Pu La, Gavaskar or Tendulkar- Maharashtrian appeal was (and is) National, even International.
So anyone giving me shot-in-the-dark comparisons / examples can go and do something to a duck that rhymes with buck.
With another nail in its coffin due to such regressive policies to subjugate cross-questioning and demands for answers from concerned citizens, Mumbai is heading into the abyss that is now Bangalore- once an ideal place. Nothing works there. Nobody gives a damn. And everybody wants everything done in Kannada. Even ICICI Bank.
It is really sad to see the waylaying of cultural richness to achieve myopic goals. One concerned voice in a leading national daily says that this move has “set us back by 200 years”. While I disagree with bombasts like that, I am also in agreement that such feudal strategies do not befit a Cosmopolitan Mega city like Mumbai. And definitely not from the one organization which has the power, money and the talent to change its face positively, but just chugs along under the cloak of indifference and lack of accountability.
Just to be sure that the BMC’s wisdom of forcing Marathi to be the official language of communication stems from the overplayed card of “loss of Marathi culture” by an over hyped political outfit of losers, I posed the wisdom of this action to 10 of my Maharashtrian acquaintances. 9 out of 10 felt it was unnecessary. The 10th one felt that as an issue it wasn’t even worthy of attention by a Maharashtrian. Mind you, these people comprise a mixed bag of MBA’s, Teachers, Public Service Officers and Autorickshaw drivers.
Is this a crisis for Mumbai? Yes. Because it reeks of a desperation, myopia, regression and an ignorance towards a world that becoming largely pluralistic, multicultural and progressive. It is also an indication that we are missing the woods for the trees.
Marathi is the language in which one can best experience the magic of ‘Chimanrao’Dilip Prabhavalkar, Pu La Deshpande and Sane Guruji. So, those who cannot speak Marathi or read it will not understand what they have missed. But in the bigger picture, it is OK. They can always make friends who can initiate them into all this.
There is something charming about Marathi. When spoken it can be rugged, rustic or sophisticated, but always sounds warm and humane. In that, the language can be seen as a metaphor for Shivaji Maharaj.
So why can’t it be left alone to be exactly just that, instead of being a polarizer?
With another nail in its coffin due to such regressive policies to subjugate cross-questioning and demands for answers from concerned citizens, Mumbai is heading into the abyss that is now Bangalore- once an ideal place. Nothing works there. Nobody gives a damn. And everybody wants everything done in Kannada. Even ICICI Bank.
It is really sad to see the waylaying of cultural richness to achieve myopic goals. One concerned voice in a leading national daily says that this move has “set us back by 200 years”. While I disagree with bombasts like that, I am also in agreement that such feudal strategies do not befit a Cosmopolitan Mega city like Mumbai. And definitely not from the one organization which has the power, money and the talent to change its face positively, but just chugs along under the cloak of indifference and lack of accountability.
Just to be sure that the BMC’s wisdom of forcing Marathi to be the official language of communication stems from the overplayed card of “loss of Marathi culture” by an over hyped political outfit of losers, I posed the wisdom of this action to 10 of my Maharashtrian acquaintances. 9 out of 10 felt it was unnecessary. The 10th one felt that as an issue it wasn’t even worthy of attention by a Maharashtrian. Mind you, these people comprise a mixed bag of MBA’s, Teachers, Public Service Officers and Autorickshaw drivers.
Is this a crisis for Mumbai? Yes. Because it reeks of a desperation, myopia, regression and an ignorance towards a world that becoming largely pluralistic, multicultural and progressive. It is also an indication that we are missing the woods for the trees.
Marathi is the language in which one can best experience the magic of ‘Chimanrao’Dilip Prabhavalkar, Pu La Deshpande and Sane Guruji. So, those who cannot speak Marathi or read it will not understand what they have missed. But in the bigger picture, it is OK. They can always make friends who can initiate them into all this.
There is something charming about Marathi. When spoken it can be rugged, rustic or sophisticated, but always sounds warm and humane. In that, the language can be seen as a metaphor for Shivaji Maharaj.
So why can’t it be left alone to be exactly just that, instead of being a polarizer?
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