The BJP government’s attempt to impose Hindi across India is a threat to non-Hindi speaking states. Linguistic diversity forms the bedrock of India’s identity. It is the celebration of this pluralism that strengthens the country’s unity. Any attempt to tinker with the diversity will amount to undermining the civilisational idea of India. The Centre’s move to make Hindi a medium of instruction in all technical and non-technical educational institutions, including central universities, smacks of linguistic hegemony and is fraught with dangerous consequences. A Parliamentary Committee on Official Language, headed by Home Minister Amit Shah, has recommended that Hindi be made the medium of instruction in technical and non-technical educational institutes, including IITs, AIIMS, and Kendriya Vidyalayas.
By trying to impose Hindi on a diverse country, the NDA government is undermining the federal spirit. It must be pointed out that India does not have a national language and Hindi is just one among many recognised official languages. The imposition of Hindi would be a great disservice to the youths who have global aspirations. Understandably, a strong pushback to the parliamentary panel’s controversial prescription has come from leaders across the political spectrum in the south, including Chief Ministers MK Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan. Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao has rightly argued that the Centre’s latest move is unconstitutional and demanded that the recommendation be withdrawn forthwith. At a time when the world is becoming increasingly open, promoting English would help the majority of Indians in finding jobs. Enforcing Hindi on 60 percent of non-speakers will certainly create a backlash. For states like Arunachal Pradesh, where tribal languages are on the verge of extinction due to the growth of Hindi and English, this move will further accelerate its slow but painful death.