Supreme Court turns down plea to make Sanskrit national language

way2barak, Sept.2: The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a petition seeking a declaration to make Sanskrit the national language of India. A Bench of Justices M.R. Shah and Krishna Murari declined to issue notice on the petition for the “sake of publicity”.

A bench of Justices MR Shah and Krishna Murari refused to entertain the plea observing that giving a language ‘national’ status is a policy decision that requires an amendment to the Constitution, and is not ordered by the court.

“How many cities in India speak Sanskrit? Do you speak Sanskrit? Can you recite one line in Sanskrit or at least translate the prayer in your writ petition to Sanskrit,” the court asked during the hearing. Filed by Gujarat’s former Additional Secretary, K.G. Vanzara, the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was seeking the court’s direction to the Centre to notify Sanskrit as a national language.