Prime Minister Modi has congratulated the newly-designated classical languages, including Marathi, on social media platform X. The recent approval for classical status to Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit comes just ahead of the scheduled Assembly elections in Maharashtra, making it a significant political move. While the recognition honors the timeless influence of these languages on India's culture and history, PM Modi hopes that it will inspire more people to learn and preserve them.
Union Cabinet Approves Classical Language Status for Five Languages
On December 1, 2022, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal to grant classical language status to five Indian languages: Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit. This decision is significant as it recognizes the rich cultural and historical significance of these languages, and is expected to encourage their preservation and promotion.
Background:
The classical language status is granted to languages that have a long literary tradition and a significant body of work that predates the 14th century CE. The criteria also include grammatical sophistication, a substantial corpus of ancient texts, and a long tradition of scholarly research.
Prior to this decision, only Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia had been granted classical language status in India.
Political Significance:
The approval of classical language status for Marathi comes just ahead of the scheduled Assembly elections in the state of Maharashtra, where Marathi is the official language. This move has been seen as a significant political decision, with many analysts speculating that it could sway votes in favor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Cultural Significance:
Beyond the political implications, the classical language status is a recognition of the immense cultural and historical value of these languages. Marathi, for example, is a rich language with a rich literary tradition dating back centuries, and has produced notable literary figures such as Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram.
Prime Minister's Reaction:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to congratulate the newly-designated classical languages, stating that this decision would inspire more people to learn and preserve these rich languages.
Top 5 FAQs Related to Classical Language Status:
1. What are the criteria for classical language status?
2. Which languages have been granted classical language status in India?
3. What are the benefits of classical language status?
4. How does the political climate influence the granting of classical language status?
5. What is the significance of Marathi receiving classical language status?
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