Languages & Scripts Must Not Be Politicised; States HM Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that language and script must never become instruments of political contest.

He cautioned against manufacturing disputes over linguistic identity. He appealed to parents to converse with their children in their native tongue.

HM Amit Shah warned that neglect would detach future generations from literature, heritage and civilisational memory.

He addressed the Joint Regional Official Language Conference in Agartala. The gathering brought together representatives from the Eastern, North-Eastern and Northern regions.

Shah reaffirmed the government’s position that primary education should occur in students’ mother tongues.

He argued that linguistic grounding strengthens cultural awareness and social continuity.

HM Amit Shah advised stakeholders in the Northeast to avoid politicising scripts. He advocated the wider adoption of Nagari Lipi for local languages to safeguard linguistic identity.

He noted that the eight Northeastern states host over 200 dialects, more than 50 festivals and extensive ethnic diversity.

Preserving Linguistic Harmony

Amit Shah stated that nations using indigenous languages for governance and education achieve faster and more inclusive development.

Shah acknowledged that certain languages lack formal scripts. HM Amit Shah urged authorities to preserve such oral traditions through concrete measures.

He dismissed criticism targeting Hindi. He declared that no contradiction exists between Hindi and other Indian languages.

Calling the Northeast ideal for strengthening Rajbhasha Hindi, Shah praised Tripura’s trilingual usage of Bengali, Kokborok and Hindi.

He cited cultural icons such as Bhupen Hazarika, Sachin Dev Burman, Rahul Dev Burman and Zubeen Garg, who gained national and global recognition through Hindi compositions.

HM Amit Shah observed that several non-Hindi-speaking freedom leaders promoted Hindi during the independence movement.

He added that Hindi is not native to his home state of Gujarat, yet he conducts most official business in it.

HM Amit Shahcredited Narendra Modi for reinforcing Hindi’s institutional framework by strengthening the Department of Official Language under the Home Ministry.

Shah contrasted past unrest in the Northeast with present stability. He stated that since 2014, 21 peace accords led to over 11,000 insurgents surrendering.

He said the region now attracts tourism and investment instead of conflict.

Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay Kumar endorsed Shah’s views. He described language as a unifying bridge.

The conference presented 80 Regional Official Language Awards for 2024-25 to government offices, banks and public enterprises. Over 3,000 officials from more than 20 states attended.

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Pragati Upadhyay

I report stories and occasionally rescue facts from chaos. By profession, I’m a journalist; by conviction, a social worker who believes words should move people, not just headlines. I question power, celebrate ordinary heroes, and sometimes irritate the comfortable. If truth had a shift, I’d probably be working overtime.