New Delhi, September 14 (Daily Kiran) : Central Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah extended his greetings to the nation on the occasion of Hindi Day. He emphasized that Hindi is not a competitor to any language but serves as a vital link for heartfelt dialogue among Indian languages and promotes national unity.
In his message, Shah remarked that India is a land of linguistic diversity and cultural richness. While many assert that our languages are distinct, he believes that this multitude of languages is our greatest strength. Each language carries its own history, folk traditions, and worldview, which contribute to the cultural upbringing of the younger generation.
He stated, “This linguistic plurality strengthens the sense of unity in our diversity. Language is not merely a means of communication; it embodies the memory and self-awareness of a society.” Shah noted that Hindi plays a crucial role in connecting various classes and communities across the country, acting as a language of dialogue, interaction, and coordination. He asserted that the growth of Hindi is meaningful only when it advances alongside the respect, preservation, and promotion of all Indian languages.
Shah reiterated, “Hindi is not a competitor to any language but an important link for heartfelt dialogue and national unity among Indian languages. Our history beautifully illustrates this truth.” He referenced Swami Dayanand Saraswati, who, despite being a Gujarati, wrote his influential work, “Satyarth Prakash,” in Hindi. Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi established the South India Hindi Prachar Sabha in 1918 in Madras, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a Bengali, chose Hindi as the communication language for the Azad Hind Fauj, rallying the nation with the slogan “Jai Hind.”
The Home Minister acknowledged the significant contributions made by various individuals in promoting Hindi as a language of public discourse. He pointed out that many great leaders, whose mother tongue was not Hindi, drew inspiration from the language. “My own mother tongue is Gujarati, but when I travel anywhere in the country, it is Hindi that connects me directly with the common people there,” he remarked.
Shah reflected on Hindi’s journey, which mirrors the journey of India itself. He cited historical works such as Vidyapati’s “Padavali” and the heroic tales of Prithviraj Raso, along with the remarkable era of the Bhakti movement, where Tulsidas brought the Ramayana to homes, and Surdas expressed the sentiment of love.
He highlighted that during the freedom struggle, the ideas of self-rule, indigenous products, and mother tongue energized national consciousness. Freedom fighters recognized that the concept of self-rule was incomplete without self-language and self-respect. After independence, language became a medium for nation-building, administration, and reaching development to every citizen. All Indian languages, including Hindi, played an essential role in spreading awareness, fostering national unity, and promoting the ideals of freedom. This legacy led to the acceptance of Hindi as the official language of the Indian Union by the Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949.
However, Shah also pointed out a paradox that emerged post-independence. While political freedom was achieved, the subjects of mother tongue, culture, and self-respect were sidelined. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for liberation from this colonial mindset, emphasizing the central role of language in this emancipation. The renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path was not merely a change of name; it represented a restoration of self-respect, replacing colonial laws with three people-centered laws.
Today, the new education policy places language at the center of education, allowing studies in engineering and medicine to be conducted in Indian languages, with competitive exams also being held in various Indian languages.
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