How did the Constituent Assembly seek to resolve the language controversy?
The language controversy was one of the most contentious issues debated in the Constituent Assembly over many months. Members held strong and conflicting views, with some like R.V. Dhulekar making aggressive pleas for Hindi to be used as the language of constitution-making, which often led to commotion in the House.
To resolve the deadlock between those who advocated Hindi as the national language and those who opposed it, the Language Committee formulated a compromise formula. It decided that Hindi in the Devanagari script would be the official language, but the transition to Hindi would be gradual.
A crucial aspect of this compromise was that for the first fifteen years, English would continue to be used for all official purposes. This ensured that administrative work would not be disrupted suddenly.
Additionally, each province was to be allowed to choose one of the regional languages for official work within the province. This provision respected the linguistic diversity of different regions.
Importantly, the Committee referred to Hindi as the official language rather than the national language. By making this distinction, the Language Committee hoped to placate ruffled emotions and arrive at a solution that would be acceptable to all members.
Explanation
The answer draws directly from the textbook context which describes the Language Committee's compromise formula. Key points include: the deadlock between pro-Hindi and anti-Hindi members, the decision to make Hindi in Devanagari script the official (not national) language, the fifteen-year transition period with English, and provincial autonomy to choose regional languages. The distinction between 'official' and 'national' language was crucial in making the compromise acceptable.