English empowering, tool to break chains… should be taught to every child: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi was reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that soon a time would come when those speaking English in the country would “feel ashamed”.

On Thursday, Shah, speaking at the launch of Main Boond Swayam, Khud Sagar Hoon, authored by IAS officer Ashutosh Agnihotri, said: “In our lifetime, we will see a society in which those speaking English will feel ashamed, that day is not far … I believe that the languages of our country are the ornament of our culture. Without them, we would not have been Bharatiya. Our country, its history, its culture, our Dharma, if these have to be understood, it cannot be done in foreign languages.”

In his X post, Gandhi said, “The BJP-RSS don’t want poor kids of India to learn English because they don’t want you to ask questions, move ahead, and attain equality.” He said in today’s world, English is as important as one’s mother tongue because it helps in securing employment and boost one’s confidence.

“Every language of India has soul, culture, knowledge. We have to cherish them — and at the same time teach English to every child. This is the path to an India that competes with the world, that gives every child an equal opportunity,” said Gandhi.

TMC MP Derek O’Brien also weighed in. In a video statement, he said, “In India, 97% people use one of the 22 constitutionally recognised languages as their mother tongue. 19,500 languages and dialects are used as mother tongues. This is the ‘unity in diversity’ of our great nation. Amit Shah, PM Narendra Modi and gang will never understand this.”

Another TMC Rajya Sabha member, Sagarika Ghose, said Indians should not be ashamed of any language.

“English is a link language across India, it’s aspirational, confers a global advantage and knowledge of English is demanded by millions. Indians should not be ‘ashamed’ of any language,” she said.