Statue of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, (file Image)
Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde on Wednesday said that BR Ambedkar had proposed Sanskrit as the "official national language" as he knew what people wanted. He was speaking at the inauguration of the academic building of Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) in Nagpur.
Remembering BR Ambedkar on his 130th birth anniversary, Bobde 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 further added that he felt that the subject of the language of subordinate courts was not being looked into despite the several representations received by the SC.
"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 Chief Justice of India said.
"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. He added that he could not recall whether the proposal was tabled in the constituent assembly or not.
"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 Chief Justice of India said.
Speaking about the course offered on Nyayashastra at MNLU, he said, "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," he added.
SA Bobde shall retire soon on April 23 and would be succeeded by Justice NV Ramana.