HM Amit Shah’s comment on English is unfortunate

Shah’s claim that English will bring shame

When the Home Minister of India declares that English speakers will ‘soon feel ashamed[1], it sends a deeply troubling message that demands immediate clarification from the Prime Minister.

Even if such remarks were intended as casual or symbolic, they send the wrong message to the nation. Worse, they risk appearing as trial balloons, testing waters to see if there is any serious objection to it.

It is time the Prime Minister reassures the country that such statements do not reflect the government’s position.

Why English should continue as the national link language

Let me try to explain this to dispel any wrong notions the Hon’ble Home Minister or others with similar ideas may have.

According to the 2011 Census, only 43.6% of Indians reported Hindi as their mother tongue. Even this includes those whose native languages are in fact dialects distinct from standard Hindi. Only about 57% of Indians are estimated to be able to speak Hindi functionally. The remaining 43%, almost half the country, cannot.

Proponents of Hindi often argue that they are only trying to popularize the mother tongue of a large segment of India, which in principle is reasonable. But to connect with the rest of India, and for government related official purposes, the non-Hindi-speakers need a common language.

Hindi proponents want others to learn Hindi for that purpose.

But here’s the reality: English, whether we like it or not, has emerged as a widely understood and accepted national/ link language (national link language, shall we say, for ease of use). Along with Hindi, English connects people across India. It has helped and continues to help India immensely, not just within but globally.

Compelling non-Hindi speakers to adopt Hindi as the sole national link language is wrong and unfair. If it evolves naturally over time, that is fine. But it must not be by force or political maneuvering.

The government should reconcile to having both Hindi and English as coexisting national link languages, a balance that has served the country well. Attempts to unsettle this equilibrium risk disturbing the very fabric of India’s inclusive growth.

What’s at stake

India is a richly multilingual nation. While efforts to promote Hindi along with the other Indian languages are welcome and necessary, they need not come at the cost of English.

English is not a symbol of colonialism anymore; it is a symbol of global empowerment.

Let us be clear: to promote one language by shaming another, especially one that has become an instrument of upward mobility, is a bad idea.

In my earlier article, “BJP: Hunting with Hindi and Running with Regional Languages[2],” I had pointed out the contradictions that arise when the BJP courts regional linguistic, while some leaders push a unilingual narrative. I had also explained in detail how English as a national link language is essential to protect the interests of the non-Hindi-speaking people (not just the English-speaking elites but also those who don’t know English) and such states. Talks against English only weaken trust and coherence.

The real issue is not English

This isn’t about defending English for its own sake. It is about making non-Hindi speakers also feel as much a part of India as the Hindi speakers. Should language be used to unite or divide?

Should any Indian be made to feel less Indian for speaking in English and not knowing Hindi, and not being able to use a language he/ she know for all government dealings?

In my article, “Language Dispute Can Be Solved Amicably If…[3],” I had proposed an inclusive approach that uplifts all Indian languages while preserving English along with Hindi for national cohesion.

Canvassing people to vote for the BJP/ NDA is one thing. But attempting to alter their cultural and linguistic preferences, especially by suggesting English is something to feel ashamed of, is quite another.

Let’s unite India, not divide it on yet another axis.

Just to clarify

I am a strong supporter of the BJP. I have written nearly 200 articles in PGurus, many of them defending the BJP and the NDA.

But I am not a blind BJP loyalist. I support the BJP for its bold reforms, nationalistic commitment, and structural vision, and because all the other parties stand no comparison to the BJP, not for its every passing comment or misstep.

A call for reassurance

For the sake of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, the Prime Minister must swiftly reassure the nation that English will continue to remain a national link language, or at the very least, direct his senior colleagues to cease such divisive rhetoric.

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

References:

[1] ‘Those who speak English will soon feel ashamed’: Amit Shah says time has come to reclaim India’s linguistic heritage; hails PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Panch Pran’ – Jun 19, 2025, ToI

[2] BJP: Hunting with Hindi and running with regional languages – Dec 05, 2022, PGurus.com

[3] Language dispute can be solved amicably if… – Mar 04, 2025, PGurus.com

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