Hindi not an adversary, but companion to all languages

Hindi is not an adversary to any Indian language rather a "companion to all", Union home minister Amit Shah said on Thursday, adding that there should be no opposition to any foreign languages.

- Snehashish Roy

NEW DELHI:

Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of the Central government's official language department, Shah said that all attempts to divide India on linguistic lines in the past have failed.

"I sincerely believe that Hindi can't be opposed (virodhi') to any Indian language. Hindi is a friend ('sakhi') of all Indian languages," the home minister said. Hindi and other Indian languages together can take the self-esteem of the country's culture to its final destination, Shah said.

The home minister said that everyone should get rid of "slave mentality" and until a person takes pride in his own language that person cannot be free from the mentality of slavery.