Need For Safe-Guarding Mother Tongue, Unemployment, 'Maha' Politics and Hong-Kong Protests

                     An important revelation I would like to make from this medium is I had deep respect and affinity towards my mother tongue, a bond which no other language can break. That said, I had been blogging in English since last 12 years which had made me an ambassador for that language since as much time. While I would like to contribute for the growth of a foreign language, I do not intend to do it at the expense of my own mother tongue or any other regional language. It is my helplessness and a gift from God that I am writing in English. Helplessness, because I am not very adept in using any other language. God’s gift, because I am able to communicate in the language which reaches farther and wider. Coming to the point, it can be said that persons like me are killing the native or regional languages by the use of English language. I may not do it alone but I can inspire a group of people who in turn would motivate few more people and few more people to take up communication in English which create a ripple effect to destroy these languages.

                     You may ask ‘How can you say that you are dilapidating other languages with your use of English’. The answer is, if people like me are the cause, the effect is A.P. government’s decision to discontinue education in Telugu medium from the public schools. Even if the effect is not quantified, you can feel that this magnitude of blogging is not good for the health of other regional and native languages. The problem is when you are having all the spotlight using the English language, people will more likely follow suit rather than go against the tide. The solution will be people who are in influencing position or in a spot light must use their own mother tongue to ward off any threat to native linguistics. I always go for co-existence rather than destruction for something to prosper. I you want to live you need not kill someone else.

                      The principle of Co-existence says you need to respect others and help weaker people in their existence which in turn will enhance your stature and respect. Hence the dominant English must help in the well-being of other languages as well. There is no harm in saying that I am proficient in three or more languages but should be prudent enough to know when to use which language. Foreseeing the danger of me using the foreign language in blogging, I had requested everyone ten years back to learn and speak in Sanskrit which would have made our nation Gods own country for speaking Gods own language. If not Sanskrit, we should be conversing more in our native languages and limit the usage of English to only when it is necessary. Culture is the backbone of existence to any country and language is integral part of culture. We are weakening a component of culture when we are overusing and propagating the use of other languages. The country has seen a lot of cultural changes in the last century and we must strive hard to preserve our identity. The world may call it protectionism but protectionism comes before globalism.

                     Reflecting back on the step to discontinue Telugu medium from government schools in the state of Andhra Pradesh, I opine it is a practical step of going with the tide but not a correct measure to stand still and oppose the tide. Yes, everyone is going after English medium education and it is the order of the day but that is not in entirety should be the reason for the drastic step to convert everyone into foreign medium. Even when everyone is going after English, government should be the last entity to do so and it must preserve the local language of instruction even if there are no takers. Just few generations and decades back, everyone read in Telugu medium from the land and this interest for English language will be short-lived as well. My parents are educated in Telugu medium but educated us in English medium foreseeing a better future. That does not mean every future generation will go for English medium as they may shift their priorities and move back to native language as medium of instruction. Thanks to Christian missionary schools which spread like wild-fire for offering quality education in English medium. This was done by taking advantage of Indian secular fabric and great Indian tolerance. This kind of upheaval of weak native systems and promotion of external education system will not take place in any other land.

                     Our bygone ancestors are educated in a Gurukulam where a teacher is revered as Guru and everything is laid down at his feet. You should take a leaf out of the neighbor state in this aspect. Even if you cannot bring us back the Gurukulam kind of education, you should at least safe-guard the local language medium of instruction. One thinks that I am doing good because my lifestyle is Western and I am speaking good English. But my inner conscience says I am a spoilt brat who is extremely unfortunate for not even able to uphold the traditions, culture and language of the land. You cannot lead the future generations into such a pathetic, miserable and unfortunate state. Living by our culture and having bare minimum necessities is absolutely fine for me instead of going for the riches and losing the traditions. Let us enrich our future generations instead of depriving them of their rich traditions. Cultural poverty is way poorer than financial riches acquired through lack of culture. Private entities should seriously consider teaching in native languages and commercializing it. Government should encourage such steps by giving incentives instead of itself abolishing teaching in local languages. The government must also provide higher, technical and professional education in the regional languages as well. This should start with institutes of eminence like IITs, NITs, IIMs and other public institutions teaching in regional languages. The central government must be available in language of choice and state government must enforce regional language for communication. This is how European Union operates and the states of Indian nation must take a cue from EU. To form a basis for the language and cultural revolution, there has to be schools which teach in Telugu or local language medium. Hence, I gently oppose the move to discontinue Telugu medium in government schools with a quest for short term benefits and eluding far-sightedness. A language and cultural revolution has to sweep across the nation to form the firm foundation for building a better and a new India.

                     Despite reports of economic slowdown, there has been no slump in hiring in the country in recent months. Around 1.2 million new jobs are created in September 2019 based on EPFO data which suggests the formal jobs added in the month. The same is 1.3 million in August 2019. In the financial year of 2018-19 around 1.49 crore new jobs are created in the country. Around 50% of these jobs go to the age group of 18-25 years or more than 7.5 million jobs in a year are being created for fresh job seekers. There are millions of jobs added in the large unorganized pool of the country. Though this is a healthy sign when looked at the quantum of jobs being available, the supply is far greater than the demand. More than 9 million graduates come out of the colleges every year and at a given time there are 2 crore college graduates in the age group of 18-25 willing to join work force. We are not even satisfying half of them and the unemployment rate in the country lingers at a good 9%. Providing job to a job seeker is the basic requirement of a society. It augurs well for the country and the nation will be far more productive if all the unemployed are working at full strength.

                     I am playing my part towards that end of providing employment to a few in my own capacity. I know my constraints and limitations and to do this against all the deficiencies is never an easy thing. Every individual must feel responsible and committed in not just working in a job but providing opportunities to few more people. Work multiplies work and all the qualified people must take the role of an entrepreneur. There has to be a culture of start-ups in the country and those in large organizations must work for the growth in the number of employees which increases the opportunities available to the outside workforce. If this happens, there is a chance that every fresh job seeker is given a much needed opportunity to work which will not only boost his morale but enables to look at life with optimism. Every effort with discipline yields multiple rewards. When you work in a mission mode with purpose, you may bring joy and happiness to an unemployed person, the feeling which cannot be described in words. An incompetent person that I am, felt the same when I was given a job offer after my college graduation. There may be scores of people lying there waiting for the good news of getting a job. It is our collective goal to see that their aspirations are fulfilled which makes the country truly great.

                      As I am telling the stories of my twin home states a lot, let me go a little north-west to look at the state which has been regularly in the news of late. It is none other than the land of Sivaji – Maharastra. The economy of Maharashtra is the largest in India.It is the third-most urbanized state with an urban population of 45% of the whole population. By having the financial capital of India, Mumbai, when something happens in the state, it is more than significant that the whole of the country turn its head and take note of the same. It is a prerogative to keep vital organs of the body healthy to maintain overall health of the body. In the same way, it is important to keep Maharastra healthy for the well-being of the nation. More than a stable government has been provided by the outgoing Chief Minister in the last 5 years and he should have got another term. The growth rate stood at 8% over the last five years but even the rich state has a debt of 4 lakh crore which has been the norm all over the developed world.

                       State elections took place last month in Maharastra which made the headlines throughout for the alliances and breakups. B.J.P and Shiv Sena formed a pre-poll alliance in the state for the elections and can form the government by themselves with a majority of 161 seats out of required 144. But Shivsena expressed its inability to form government with B.J.P after the election results. The grandson of Bal Thackeray - Aditya Thackeray who is just 29 years old has been the new face of Shiv Sena in the campaigns and staged more than 70 rallies in the build up to the election. Looking up to him and other promising candidates, Shiv Sena asked for C.M. post but B.J.P. declined, which has its own ideal C.M. candidate; and lead to war of words, break up of alliance and presidential rule in the state. It all lead to some unlikely alliances but Shiv sena, which played a catalyst in invigorating the politics, managed to team with all of the opposition and put B.J.P out of power. It is not as simple as it seems and a lot of friction has been felt by the men in action. This entire episode is an example of how youngsters in politics can alter the political equations, decide those who are placed in power and shape the future course of state and nation.

                       In the world news, a country which has been in turmoil and unrest is Hong Kong. There has been an ongoing demonstrations and protests since June this year triggered by the introduction of the Fugitive Offenders amendment bill by the Hong Kong government. The bill created concerns that the Hong Kong residents and visitors would be subjected to mainland Chinese jurisdiction and legal system, undermining the regions autonomy and Hong Kong people’s civil liberties. As the protests progressed, the protesters laid out five key demands. After the prolonged, continuous protests by a sizeable population throughout, the bill was finally withdrawn on 23rd October. The remaining four demands are yet to be met which are 1. The protests not to be characterized as a "riot" 2. Amnesty for arrested protesters. 3. An independent inquiry into alleged police brutality. 4. Implementation of complete universal suffrage. In November, the territory held local council elections that were seen as a barometer of public opinion. The vote saw a landslide victory for the pro-democracy movement, with 17 of the 18 councils now controlled by pro-democracy councilors. In many cases, people supporting the demonstrators were confronted by pro-Beijing rallies. Hong Kong has faced almost six months of intense political unrest over the growing influence of Beijing in the former British colony, meant to enjoy a “high degree of autonomy” under the terms of its 1997 handover to China. It is high time these protests are subsided by a formal mutual agreement over the autonomy of the region without further escalating into dangerous propositions. Protests provide a powerful weapon for the common people to achieve a fruitful outcome but there is a growing concern that the tensions are de-escalated and protests are largely peaceful.