'Language Was Used To Divide India For Decades': Amit Shah's Fresh Push For Mother Tongue Use
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Shah emphasized the use of Indian languages for official work and highlighted the increased use of Indian languages in competitive exams.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday made a fresh push for the use of Indian languages for official work both at the Centre and in states. He said language was used as a means to divide India in the last few decades and emphasised that the central government will increase the utility of Indian languages.
'In the last few decades, language was used as a means to divide India. They could not break it, but efforts were made. We will ensure that our languages become a powerful medium to unite India. For this, the Official Language Department will work. I believe that the foundation that is being laid under the leadership of Modi ji will create a great India in 2047 and on the way to creating a great India, we will develop our Indian languages, make them rich, increase their utility," he said.
'Indian languages should be used as much as possible in government work, not only in the central government but also in the state government. For this, we will also contact the states, try to convince and persuade them," he added.
The Home Minister also pointed out that students are now able to take competitive exams like JEE, NEET, CUET in 13 languages. 'Earlier, you could only apply for the constable recruitment of CAPF in English or Hindi. We made it flexible and allowed the exam in 13 languages and today I am happy to say that 95% of the candidates are giving the constable exam in their mother tongue. This tells how bright the future of Indian languages is in the coming days," he added.
However, Shah said there is no opposition to any language, including a foreign language, but the focus should on our glorification of the nation's language. 'There should be an insistence to speak our language, and there should be an insistence to think in our language," he said.
'We should get rid of the mentality of slavery. And until a person takes pride in his language, does not express himself in his language, we cannot be free from the mentality of slavery…"
First Published:
June 26, 2025, 14:26 IST
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