The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a declaration to make Sanskrit the national language of India.

Dismissing the plea, a bench of Justice M.R. Shah and Justice Krishna Murari said the matter is a policy decision that requires an amendment to the Constitution, and cannot be ordered by the court.

“How many cities in India speak Sanskrit? Do you speak Sanskrit? Can you recite one line in Sanskrit or at least translate the prayer in your writ petition to Sanskrit,” the court asked during the hearing.

Filed by Gujarat’s former Additional Secretary, K.G. Vanzara, the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was seeking the court’s direction to the Centre to notify Sanskrit as a national language.

“India should learn from Israel who in 1948, made Hebrew, considered to be a dead Language for the last 2000 years, along with English as official/national Language of Israel,” his plea read.

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