Indian Languages and the Constitution

Language was an important issue in the Constituent Assembly debates. Several questions were being discussed. Should the country have its own national language or would just having an official language be enough? Which language should be chosen as the official or national language — Hindi, Urdu or Hindustani? What would be its script? Members of the Constituent Assembly were wrestling with several such issues. After several arguments and counter-arguments, the Constituent Assembly came to an agreement with respect to these questions. These issues have been examined in this booklet.
Language is an inflammatory issue in our nation even today. Under the circumstances, learning about the debates that took place in the Constituent Assembly on the language question is not merely placating historical curiosity. It can also help us to form an informed opinion in the context of the current debates.