Question 29 from UPSC CSE 2021 - Current Affairs

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF.
2. The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 2 only

Strategy: Identify the correct statement by verifying the attributing organization for International Mother Language Day and the historical facts of the Bengali Language Movement. Statement 1 is incorrect due to a factual error about the responsible UN agency. Statement 2 is correct as it aligns with historical events. The final determination is that only Statement 2 is correct.

Key Info: - International Mother Language Day is observed globally on 21 February to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity.
- It was proclaimed in 1999 by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and first observed in 2000.
- The date commemorates the 1952 Bengali Language Movement protest in Dhaka, where students demonstrated against the imposition of Urdu.
- UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) is a separate UN agency and did not declare this observance.
- The language controversy began after Pakistan's formation in 1947 when Urdu was proposed as the sole national language, leading to opposition in Bengali-speaking East Pakistan.
- On 23 February 1948, representatives like Dhirendranath Datta advocated in Pakistan's Constituent Assembly for Bengali's recognition as a national language.
- This movement led to Bengali being recognized as an official language of Pakistan in 1956 and is remembered as a key milestone for cultural and linguistic rights in South Asia.

Answer

Option A: 1 only

Answer

Option C: Both 1 and 2

Answer

Option D: Neither 1 nor 2

Consider the following statements: 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF. The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Consider the following statements:

21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF.

The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national languages was raised in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?