To begin with, Hindustani was a matter of contention. These were among the earliest national-level musings on the prickly issue of language that remained under the surface during the freedom struggle, only to reemerge when independence was imminent. Also, the commission recommended that provinces should be configured on linguistic lines.ДЄt this early stage itself, it appears that the Congress had rejected the European model of nationalism that mandated вЂone languageвЂ™ in addition to вЂone religionвЂ™ and opted for an inclusive version. The proposal was вЂњвЂ¦ Indian, written either in Devanagari (Sanskrit/Hindi), Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi or Gujarati in character. Among the commissionвЂ™s more interesting recommendations were about language.

The Motilal Nehru Commission Report of 1928 laid down many specifications towards this end. In the late 1920s as the Congress turned the heat on the British in their bid to obtain self-rule for India, the need was felt to articulate the kind of India they wished to create in the future. To settle the language issue, the Constituent Assembly did have some precedents to go by. Pacified by Jawaharlal Nehru and the fact that the House later ruled in favour of Hindustani, he piped down. Dhulekar responded with indignation and outrage, claiming that those who did not know Hindustani вЂњhad no right to stay in IndiaвЂќ. RV Dhulekar, a member from Jhansi, began to speak in Hindustani before any rules regarding language use had been framed and was promptly admonished by the Chair since many in the Assembly could not understand him. This decision in favour of Hindustani was accompanied by unexpected drama and was a portent of things to come. Among the earliest decisions taken by the body was that the proceedings of the House would be conducted in Hindustani and English. When the Constituent Assembly met for the first time in December 1946, it had its work cut out.

India official languages hindi