While the role of Hindi can be “understood”, it is difficult to predict if it would strengthen unity of the country, said Prof. Amartya Sen on Monday, while releasing the Bengali translation of his book, The Country of First Boys in Kolkata.
“Every country has its language — often we find French are using their own while Japanese communicate in their language, so do others. So Devanagari is used but there are many in India who may not understand Devanagari….the role of Hindi can be understood,” said Prof. Sen, answering a question from the audience.
“However, imposing Hindi to enhance unity and integrity of the country is perhaps a simple way of putting things. I think it is too simple an idea,” he added.
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Basirhat concerns
Earlier in the day talking to the journalists, Prof. Sen said he was “concerned” about developments in North 24 Parganas district where a communal riot broke out last week following a post on social media. “This is an issue of great concern [and] I’m not sure who is provoking all these and there are plenty of reasons to get worried,” he said.
Criticising the remark of the Noble Laureate, State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said Prof. Sen should not remain “detached” from the issues in Bengal and rather come forward to “find out a solution as problems are instigated by the ruling party in the State.”
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BJP tactically ahead
Prof Sen said the BJP was ahead of its opposition in “tactics.”
“BJP’s tactic is more powerful than the opposition. While Congress and others were waiting, BJP announced the name of its Presidential candidate. They chose a Dalit candidate, so did the opposition,” he said. While Donald Trump and Narendra Modi are ahead in the game of “numbers”, number is not the only thing in a democracy, he said.