My rights, in my language

When President Droupadi Murmu released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language, written in Ol Chiki script, it marked a much-awaited moment of inclusion. It carried echoes of a mid-20th-century debate in socio-cultural theory, and its unselfconscious resolution in a diverse country. The debate was on whether language precedes thought. While Soviet psychologist Lev Vygotsky emphasised the relevance of language in cognitive development, Swiss scholar Jean Piaget framed it differently. Far away from this debate, culturally and geographically, the best political minds of India, in Constitution Hall, were discussing the trajectory of a new democracy in which everyday politics and culture is shaped by language hierarchy. One of the few Adivasi members of the Constituent Assembly, Jaipal Singh Munda, stood up and spoke in Mundari, and demanded recognition for tribal languages and identities.

The Constitution in Santhali offers the Santhali people easier access to a document that enshrines the rights for which leaders like Munda fought. With a population of over 7 million, the Santhals are the third-largest tribe in the country. Yet, it was only in 2003 that the Santhali language was included in Schedule VIII. Notably, it was on Murmu’s insistence — as a minister in Odisha, she requested the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to give official status to Santhali — that the language got its long-due recognition.

On the centenary of the Ol Chiki script, invented in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu, this event is not merely symbolic. It underlines the promise of a more inclusive India where every community will be able to read, defend and celebrate their enshrined rights in their own languages. A person from the Ho community would read the Preamble aloud in the Varang Kshiti script, a Mundari woman would find the promises of gender equality written in Nag Mundari, an Oraon scholar would defend her doctoral thesis in the Kurukh language.

Overall Analysis

This editorial highlights the deep democratic significance of making the Constitution of India available in Santhali, written in the Ol Chiki script. It frames the event not merely as a symbolic gesture but as a long-overdue act of inclusion for Adivasi communities. By opening with President Droupadi Murmu’s role, the article establishes institutional recognition and immediately links language to dignity and access to rights.

The author then situates this moment within a broader intellectual and historical context, briefly referring to debates on whether language shapes thought. This serves to underline a key argument: language is not just a medium of communication but a powerful tool that shapes political participation and cultural identity. The reference to Jaipal Singh Munda speaking in Mundari in the Constituent Assembly reinforces the idea that linguistic recognition has always been central to tribal assertions of identity and self-respect.

In the middle section, the editorial adopts a factual and corrective tone, pointing out the delay in granting Santhali constitutional recognition despite its large speaker base. By highlighting Murmu’s earlier intervention as a minister, the author subtly credits political will as a catalyst for inclusive governance. The language here is measured but pointed, emphasizing historical neglect without overt accusation.

The final paragraph broadens the vision, imagining an India where citizens can read, interpret, and defend their constitutional rights in their own languages. The vivid examples of different tribal communities accessing the Constitution linguistically make the argument emotionally resonant. The editorial thus moves from a specific event to a universal democratic ideal: true inclusion begins when people can claim their rights in their own language.

Important Vocabulary (5)

1. Inclusion – the practice of ensuring equal access and participation for all groups.
2. Enshrines – formally protects or preserves something in law or principle.
3. Trajectory – the path or direction of development over time.
4. Hierarchy – a system where some elements are ranked above others.
5. Symbolic – representing something larger than its literal meaning.

Conclusion & Tone

The editorial argues that linguistic inclusion is essential for meaningful democracy and that translating the Constitution into tribal languages strengthens both rights and representation. It presents language as a bridge between the state and marginalized communities.

Tone: Reflective, inclusive, and quietly celebratory, with an undercurrent of democratic idealism.