On 12th September 1949, Mr. Nazeeruddin Ahmed [Bengal Muslim] spoke at the Constituent Assembly as follows;
“I am extremely thankful to the Honourable Member, Mr. Gupta, for anticipating me. If you have to adopt any Language, why should you not have the World’s Greatest Language? It is today, the matter of great secret, that we do not know how with what veneration Sanskrit is held in outside World. I should only quote a few brief remarks made about Sanskrit to show how this Language is held in the Civilized World. Mr. W. C. Taylor says, “Sanskrit is a Language of unrivalled richness and purity.” Then —- I will only give a few quotations. Max Mueller says, “Sanskrit is the Greatest Language in the World, most wonderful and the most perfect.” Sir, William Jones says, “Sanskrit is a wonderful structure, more perfect than Greek and more copious than Latin, more exquisitely refined than either. Whenever we direct our attention to the Sanskrit Literature, a notion of infinity presents itself. Surely longest life would not suffice for a single perusal of works that rise and swell and protuberant like the Himalayas, above the bulkiest composition of every land beyond the confines of India.” Then, Sir W. Hunter says that “Grammar of Panini stands supreme among the Grammar of the World. It stands forth as one of the most splendid achievements of human invention and industry — the Hindus have made the language and a literature and the religion of rare stateliness.” Professor Whitney says, “Its unequalled transparency of structure give it [Sanskrit] indisputable right to the first place amongst the tongues of the Indo European Family. “Professor Bopp says “Sanskrit was at one time only Language of the World.” M. Dubo, says “Sanskrit is the origin of the modern Language of Europe.” “Professor Weber says, “Panini’s Grammar is universally admitted to be a shortest and fullest Grammar in the World.” Professor Wilson says “no nation but the Hindu as yet been able to discover such a perfect system of phonetics.” Professor Thomson says “the arrangement of consonant in Sanskrit is a unique example of human genius.” Dr. Shahidullah, Professor of Dhaka University, who has a world-wide reputation as a Sanskrit Scholar says, “Sanskrit is a Language of every man whatever race he may belong.”
Honourable Member: What is your view?
Mr. Nazeeruddin Ahmed Reply: My own view is that it is one of the Greatest Languages —-
Honourable Member: Should it be adopted as National Language? It is not spoken by anyone now.
Mr. Nazeeruddin Ahmed Reply: Yes, and for the simple reason that it is impartially difficult to all. Hindi is easy for Hindi speaking areas, but it is difficult in other areas. I offer you a Language, which is a Grandest and Greatest and it is impartially difficult, equally difficult for all to learn. There should some impartiality in the selection. If we have to adopt a Language, it must be Grand and Great and the Best. Then why should we discard the claims for Sanskrit? I failed to see!
Author’s Comment: It is astonishing such a great speech about the great language about a great man has been long forgotten.