Indian Politicians Should Know English!

I was in other section today and there was interesting debate among some members so I decided to post this as debate here in DM. I hope you guys don't mind.

Is it necessary for our politician, chief ministers etc. to speak and communicate in English. Do you think that in India our country our ministers should not be expected to learn English and know English? Do you think Hindi is our national language and they don't need to know English. OR you think that English is universal language and it is very important for people who represent our country globally know it. We know there are politician and ministers in India who does not speak English.

PS- I really don't have any love towards English/Hindi language thing (if you are thinking about my previous Hindi post) 😛 really!!! It's just I saw this debate in other sections between some friends so I thought it's nice topic. 😳

Interesting debate Soumya !!

I personally feel a average minister does not need to speak English to do his/ her job well . If we are talking about a MP ,Railway Minister , or a Minister that doesn't regularly reperesent our country abroad .

But if we talk about our foreign minister , PM , Pres ,the Indian ambassadors to other Countries , it would be but usefull to know English .Instead of depending on a translator every time .
Although i don't feel its neccesarily the most important thing . But its always usefull to know English and a foreign language when you regularly represent our Country abroad .

I don't think it enhances a nations prestige if our leaders deliver speeches in English at international forums. After all at these forums people hail from several other countries where different languages are spoken .Besides English French, Latin and Chinese are also widely spoken. What enhances the nations prestige is how the leaders put forward the country's interest at international forums and this can be expressed in any language that you are comfortable. As our politicians hail from diverse backgrounds it would be better if they stick to the language they are comfortable with.
Former PM AB Vajpayee had won kudos for delivering his address in Hindi at the UN when he was the foreign minister. English came to us by virtue of our colonial past and it continues to this day; the status quo remains despite constitution saying that Hindi is our national language.
English is not a language spoken by majority of Indians so also rest of the world.
The French, Germans and Russians are exceedingly patriotic about their mother tongue. French President Chirac knows English but insist on speaking in his own mother tongue all the time, so also other leaders.
Though it is always advantageous to learn newer languages but not at the cost of one's mother tongue.   
Edited by Signora2 - 18 years ago

In my view knowing English is more important even if you are not fluent or not speaking. To communicate globally, speaking english of course has a better effect. But knowing is more important even if you don't speak, specially for an Indian. Since good books, informative magazines, newspapers are mostly written in English.I believe just knowing to speak English is not enough, it's how much one nurtures and uses the language to be profound, to enhance the knowledge. Since these days our country has lots of such products who can speak English well but no good for the society.

WE have still not come nearer to what was articulated in the first post( opening), if in the famous Anglo-French war, the French had won, we would all be speaking in FRench, the point is english is with us as a colonial legacy.
Secondly that it is a global language is proof of its popularity but microsoft and other mnc's would not got a foot hold in India if they had not focused on regionl languages.
When it comes to business all foreign companies have to adopt other countries languages that is true for Idnia as well so if business men are looking for opportunities in China they should work on the language.
For Politicians this is of no concern as at all forums there are interpretors and gone are the days when people laughed at u if u spoke english in a particular accent.
      

english is a national language in order for them to progres they need to learn it

Sorry friends, ulility of English is vastly over-rated as a necessity for development. If that were the case, we should have been a world power by now. After all we have been using English in last 50 years. Look at Germany, look at Japan, look at France, look at Korea, look at Taiwan, look at China, Russia...did they reach there, where they are, bec'se they learnt English or bec'se they thrusted English at their people. NO. I always wonder about this English craze.

If English was so important then most of African nations would have been rich and developed.

On the contrary I believe that unless English is removed from our psyche, we will not develop in the real sense. I think we ought to give Hindi, the stature it deserves along with other regional languages. Why should English be sole medium in Engineering, Medical, Judiciary, Civil Services (?) etc...afterall 90% of our population does not understantd English. Hum kyon English use karein jab haamare paas hamari bhashayen hain. Aur koi to nahin karta, hum hi kyon.

Does knowing English magically makes someone better skilled? Russians make best Fighter Planes, and they don't even know an iota of English. Japanese make best electronics, don't tell me that they do it bec'se of English.

Major reason why English is still here is bec'se the Powerful/Elite lobby here does not want to give up its raaj-paat. Imagine if IITs/IIMs exams/syllabus were in our languages, to kitne students (from small cities/villages) will particiapte, and they will also get chance to show their skills. And unless these people come up India cannot progress.

India had its golden period duing Gupta Dynasty, we invented zero, decimel system...we have produced so many great mathematicians, scietists, thinkers, artists, engineers, doctors in the past, was it all bec'se we knew English back then.

So if we want to really develop, then give our languages their due place and do not give English over-importance at cost of our languages.

yea its like a fact that most of the world speak japanese sommat like dat but m8t english is a national language and it is the profesional language so if u want to develop as a leader is absoluteley neccesary to be able to speak english hence most developed countries speak english

Originally posted by: zoya786uk

yea its like a fact that most of the world speak japanese sommat like dat but m8t english is a national language and it is the profesional language so if u want to develop as a leader is absoluteley neccesary to be able to speak english hence most developed countries speak english

Who speaks in English except leaders of US/UK/Aus/Canada. Leaders of Japan/France/Germany/Italy/Russia/China/South Korea/Spain/Brazil...they all speak in their own language, be it at UN or any official visit. Why should our leaders speak in a language which is spoken by only 5% of people, that too a foreign language which is a colonial baggage? Sirf hum hi hai jisko English ka chaska laga hua hai.

BTW, did anyone see the report that Bush has said that childern in his country should learn Hindi as it is going to be major asset in future. 😊

YES!!! beacause its international lanuage...... if the international lang. would have been hindi..... i would have said no!!!!