Politics of Language in Colonial India and in Post-Partition Pakistan, 1947–1970s

Abstract

This study aims to explore the impact of colonialism on language in India, with a particular focus on Pakistan until 1970. It will examine how language policies were used as a tool for control and dominance, as well as how they shaped the linguistic landscape of the region. To begin, the paper investigates the role of language and politics in United India since the introduction of English language by Thomas Babington, popularly known as Lord Macaulay, in 1834, arguing that the imperialist rulers and ruling elites were preoccupied with their languages and were protecting their political status using language as a political tool, both in colonial India and post-colonial Pakistan. Second, this study also asserts that after the partition of unified India, the Pakistani elite exploited language(s) as a political tool to defend their self-centered ambitions, contributing to the dismemberment of Pakistan in the 1970s. The discontent does not end there; certain elites continue to use language to mobilize their ethnic supporters to acquire maximum benefits and political powers within Pakistan.