Father of the Constitution proposed Sanskrit as nation’s official language: CJI

Father of the constitution proposed Sanskrit as nation's official language: CJI

The Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde on Wednesday stated that Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had put forward for Sanskrit to be the official language of the Union of India as he forecasted the issue of different languages. Addressing at the inaugural ceremony of the academic infrastructure of the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), in Maharashtra, the CJI said that acknowledged the social and political needs of citizens of the country.  Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackrey, Union minister and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari, and others participated in this event virtually. On the occasion of the 130th birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar, the CJI also added that the chief justice knew exactly what the poor sector wanted. He uttered the Supreme Court gets many representations on what should be the language of subordinate courts, but I feel this subject is not being looked into.

“But Dr. Ambedkar had expected this facet and he had mooted a proposal saying that the official language of the Union of India should be Sanskrit,” the CJI said.

The CJI said he cannot remember whether that proposal, which had signatures of some Maulvis, pundits, priests, and Ambedkar, was tabled (in the constituent Assembly).

The Indian judicial system was inherited from the British which uses logic and the origin of logic is Aristotle.

But the ‘Nyayshastra’ which was developed in India is not the least bit Lesser to Aristotle or the Persian system of logic.

“I see no cause why we should abandon, leave and not benefit from the geniuses of our ancestors and that is how this course began which is unique,” CJI Bobde said.

The North Indians would be opposed to Tamil, as well as the South Indians are to Hindi. However, Dr. BR Ambedkar recognized and ended up with that both the regions would be at peace with having Sanskrit as the official language. 

Mr. S A Bobde the current CJI, is set to retire on April 23. He will be succeeded by Justice NV Ramana as his successor.

 Referring to the occasion, CM Thackrey congratulated the MNLU saying the state government will always support the judiciary and its institutions.

He requested MNLU educators to sharpen students well so that after becoming judges or lawyers they will always uphold the values of democracy.

“B R Ambedkar not just practiced law in the court but he fought on roads for equal social justice,” the CM said.

He asked students graduating from the MNLU that their training and expertise should help the underprivileged sections of society.

On the occasion, Gadkari admired the benefactions of Bobde as the CJI, Justice Bushman Gavai, former SC judge Vikas Sirpurkar apart from ex-CM Deventer Fadnavis and Thackrey in realizing the dream of the MNLU in Nagpur.