India’s ruling government is questioning the country’s reliance on English, igniting debates over identity, inclusion, and opportunity. It comes as the government is working to erase remnants of colonial history, from renaming school textbooks to changing street name. Yet, some warn that sidelining English could undermine the nation’s future, even as language politics continue to fuel tensions.

Delhi

India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, recently stated that speaking English should be a source of shame for Indians, prompting widespread discussion. The English language, introduced during British colonial rule, has long been associated with education and social status in India. Shah's remarks come amid government efforts to remove remnants of colonial influence, such as changing street names and revising textbooks, which critics say promote a Hindu nationalist narrative.

The government's push to promote Hindi nationwide has faced resistance, particularly in regions where Hindi is not commonly spoken. India is home to 22 major languages and hundreds of others spoken by diverse communities. Public opinion remains divided, with some arguing that language should not be politicized and that there is no shame in speaking English.

Should Indians feel ‘ashamed’ for speaking English?

India's Home Minister, Amit Shah, recently said speaking English will be a source of shame for Indians. And it's got people talking. People, since colonization, there has been a certain stereotype that those who understand English, they're more educated. And the people who do not, they tend to have a sort of an inferiority complex. The British initially came to India for trade, but stayed for centuries, leaving behind a controversial legacy, the English language. It began as a language of law and administration, but gradually seeped into everyday life. Both the hardwired and the guns. Eventually emerging as a symbol of social status and privilege. Shah's comments come as the Indian government is working to erase traces of India's colonial past, promoting what critics say is a Hindu nationalist version of the country's history, from changing street names to updating school textbooks and replacing statues. Now, his remarks have kicked off a fresh debate. Should English still hold power in India, or is it time to move on? And if so, to what? The ruling government has pushed hard to promote Hindi nationwide, sparking backlash especially in regions where the language isn't widely spoken. India is incredibly diverse linguistically, with 22 major languages, plus hundreds more spoken by different religious and indigenous communities all over the country. Opinions are divided. And on the basis of this, we are mostly judged. That you don't know English? Oh, they're middle class, they're from a very rich, poor family. Do you know English? They're from a high society, from a very good family, that's what they say. I don't think the people who speak English should be ashamed, because that's also a language. If we look at language as a language, it's better, not as a politics.

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Stockholm

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Bangkok

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Breakdown