Nagpur: Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde on Wednesday said B R Ambedkar had proposed Sanskrit as the “official national language” of India as he understood the political and social issues well and knew what the people wanted.
The CJI also said the ancient Indian text “Nyayshastra” is “not a bit” inferior to Aristotle and the Persian system of logic, and “there is no reason why we should forsake, overlook, and not benefit from the geniuses of our ancestors”.
CJI Bobde was speaking at the inauguration of the academic building of the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) here in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackrey, Union minister and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari and others participated in this event virtually.
Remembering B R Ambedkar on his 130th birth anniversary, the CJI said, “Today morning, I was in a fix about which language should I deliver this speech. Today is the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar which reminds me that the conflict between the language to be used while speaking and the language to be used during work is very old”.
He said 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 anticipated this aspect 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 recall whether that proposal, which had signatures of some Maulvis, pandits, priests and Ambdekar, was tabled (in the constituent Assembly).
“It was Ambedkar’s opinion that since Tamil is not acceptable in north India it might be opposed there and likewise Hindi will be opposed in south India. But, there is less possibility of opposition to Sanskrit in north India or south India and hence he had mooted that proposal, but it did not succeed,” CJI Bobde said.
The chief justice of India said Ambedkar possessed knowledge of not only about the law but he also knew social and political issues very well.
“He knew what the people, the poor of the country wanted. He had full knowledge about all these aspects and I feel that is why he thought of putting up this proposal,” the CJI said.
He said the law school is a nursery of the legal profession.
“Law school is the nursery from which springs forth the harvest of our legal profession as well as judges. Dreams of many people have come true with the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU),” the CJI said.
He further said the MNLU intended to “impart a national outlook to students and faculty who are drawn from all over the country”.
“There is no regionalism and no narrow-mindedness and this distinguishes a national law university from any other kind,” he said.
CJI Bobde said two unique courses are taught at the MNLU including a course that will produce judges much on the lines of the National Defence Academy (NDA) which not only produces soldiers but officers, and the other course is on ‘Nyayshastra’.
“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 inferior to Aristotle or the Persian system of logic.
“I see no reason why we should forsake, overlook and not benefit from the geniuses of our ancestors and that is how this course began which is unique,” CJI Bobde said.
The CJI is set to retire on April 23. He will be succeeded by Justice NV Ramana as his successor.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Thackrey congratulated the MNLU saying the state government will always support the judiciary and its institutions.
He appealed to MNLU teachers to hone students well so that after becoming judges or lawyers they will always uphold the values of democracy.
“B R Ambedkar not just practised law in the court but he fought on roads for equal social justice,” the CM said.
He appealed to students graduating from the MNLU that their training and expertise should help the underprivileged sections of society.
On the occasion, Gadkari appreciated the contribution of Bobde as the CJI, Justice Bhushan Gavai, former SC judge Vikas Sirpurkar apart from ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis and Thackrey in realising the dream of the MNLU in Nagpur.
Also read: Ambedkar said tyranny of majority is no democracy. Indians must read him again
This Brahmins and their SANGIES hold this dead language on their heads for being the superior class of the society.
When Dr Ambedkar wanted to learn sanskrit, this bramins in Maharashtra refused to teach him because he was a dalit and the language would be degraded if taught to a fault.
How can we accept that Ambedkar supported sanskrit to be the national language of India
AMBEDKAR
Did everything in good faith for India to be a prosperous, united democratic. Ambedkar never aimed that the whole of India would learn Sanskrit. The Rule of Law is worthless for those who have faith in might is right. I believe in Bhagavad Gita and Indian Constitution. My Buddhist, Japanese wife and our three minor children have the same respect for each religion, language. My younger brother in India and younger sister our fathers family only believe in ” might are right”. I am a UP NRI residing in Canada since 1975. I have studied, worked and travelled the world for 50 years, I am 75 years old . Ambedkar dream for the future of democratic India are dead. Today no one is safe in India and no one’s property is safe. Unskilled IAS are appointed as justices to interpret the law without legal education and legal mind. Fortunately IAS are not heart sergions causing the dead bodies on the streets of India. India obtained freedom with great struggle and sacrifices. Our leaders lack leadership to rule justly.
With gratitude
RAMESH MISHRA
CANADA
Ambedkar never said anything like this, these stupid conservatives just want to manipulate people by misquoting Ambedkar, in fact Ambedkar was the one who sought to put forth the idea of a socio-cultural revolution that aimed to eradicate such ideas as endorsed here by the former CJI.
True colors are out. Dr Ambedkar embraced Buddhism and championed Prakrit . His opposition to varna system and brahminical social order was the bedrock of his politico social philosophy . You try it and nobody can stop the disintegration of this country
Hindi is nothing but a fusion of Sanskrit and Urdu . To separate Hindi from Sanskrit is a poor attempt at deception .
Hann BSDK
You are a CJI and tell a half-truth.
In fact, it was well-known that in the Constituent Assembly, Ambedkar supported Sanskrit as national language, but with a rider that English should be the official language, at least for 15 years until Sanskrit became acceptable and was also learnt by the governing agencies in the states.
When this proposition in the Constituent Assembly came from some of the traditional Brahmin members, hardly one percent of Indians could read and write Sanskrit. Even among the Indian Brahmin families, it was only a ritual language – a memorising and reciting language, but not a language of regular reading and writing. In no house in India Sanskrit was/is a kitchen language. Even then, why did some members propose it and why did Ambedkar support it?
Ambedkar knew that when he wanted to learn Sanskrit no Brahmin teacher was willing to teach him in Maharashtra. He had to go all the way to Bonn University in Germany to learn the language. Why then, did Ambedkar think that the whole nation would learn Sanskrit?