Set aside politics to promote Indian languages, Shah urges

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday stressed the need for political parties to transcend their differences in pursuing the promotion of Indian languages, framing the effort as central to cultural nationalism.

Addressing a Rajbhasha event, Shah emphasised that linguistic identity forms the foundation of national understanding. "A child can comprehend the country only through his or her mother tongue," he said, underscoring the role of native languages in shaping citizens' connection to India.

The Home Minister's remarks reflect the government's renewed focus on strengthening the use of Indian languages in administration, education and public discourse. Shah's appeal for cross-party consensus suggests an attempt to depoliticise language policy, traditionally a contentious issue in Indian politics.

The Rajbhasha initiative, which promotes Hindi and other official languages, has been a priority for the current administration. Shah's call for political unity on the issue indicates the government's intention to position language promotion as a matter of national interest rather than partisan politics.