‘Language was used as means to try to divide India’
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said language was used as a means to try to divide India in the past but such efforts were never successful, and the Modi government will ensure that Indian languages become a powerful medium to unite the country.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of the Central government’s official language department, Shah also said Hindi is not an opponent to any Indian language, rather it is a friend of all Indian languages and that there should be no opposition to any foreign language in the country.
He said the country’s administration should align with the spirit of the nation, and for the self-respect of Indian languages, administrative functions should also be conducted in Indian languages.
“In the last few decades, language was used as a means to try to divide India. This move was not successful even though efforts were made. We will ensure that our languages become a powerful medium to unite India,” he said.
The home minister said the official language department will work in this endeavour.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation for creation of a great India by 2047 and efforts will be made to make the Indian languages enriched and increase their utility.
“I sincerely believe that Hindi can’t be an opponent to any Indian language. Hindi is a friend of all Indian languages,” he said.
Hindi and other Indian languages together can take the self-esteem of the country to its final destination, Shah said.
He asked all state governments to take the initiative to impart medical and engineering education in the local language.
The home minister also said that everyone should get rid of the slavery mentality and until a person takes pride in his own language, or does not express himself in his language, that person cannot be free from the mentality of slavery.
“There is no opposition to any language. There should not be any opposition to any foreign language. But there should be an urge to glorify one’s own language, there should be an urge to speak one’s own language, there should be an urge to think in one’s own language,” he said.
Shah also said that language is the “soul” of a nation.
“Language is not just a medium of communication, it is the soul of a nation. Our roots, traditions, history, and culture cannot move forward separately from the languages. Keeping languages alive is as essential as enriching them,” he said.
He said efforts should be made in the coming days for growth and expansion of all Indian languages, especially for the official language.
The home minister said if a country has to progress, it is absolutely essential that its administration operates in its own languages and with this great objective, the department of official language was established.
“Indian languages should be used as much as possible in government work, not only in the Central government but also in the state governments. For this, we will also help the state governments, encourage them and try to convince them,” he said.
Extending greetings to all the well-wishes of the official language Hindi, the home minister congratulated the admirers of Indian languages across the country on the golden jubilee year of the department.
Shah said this was the 50-year journey from 1975 to 2025 of the official language department and when India will celebrate the centenary of its Independence, the name of the official language will be inscribed in golden letters in the history of all the efforts made for the reawakening of India’s pride.
He said in the last 11 years, Prime Minister Modi has launched the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ programme under which initiatives have been taken to host events like the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, Kashi-Telugu Sangamam, Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam, and Mithila Festival, so that the country’s unity can be further strengthened.
The home minister said entrance examinations like the JEE, NEET, CUET are now conducted in 13 Indian languages.
Besides, he said, examination for recruitment in the constable posts in the Central Armed Police Forces are now conducted in 13 languages instead of earlier Hindi and English.
“I am happy to say that 95 per cent of the candidates are taking the constable examination in their mother tongue. This tells how
