MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

English is no longer seen as a colonial relic but a language of aspiration and ambition. Travel to any corner of the country and witness the rapid expansion of English language coaching classes, all aimed at providing a ‘new’ India a chance to climb up the social ladder

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“In this country, those who speak English will soon feel ashamed —the creation of such a country is not far away”: Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“Any attempt to impose Hindi on Marathi speakers will not be tolerated”: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray.

“Some entitled bigots brand us chauvinists and anti-nationals for the ‘crime’ of demanding Tamil’s rightful place in Tamil Nadu. The true chauvinists and anti-nationals are the Hindi zealots who believe their entitlement is natural but our resistance is treason”: Tamil Nadu CM, MK Stalin.

Language ‘wars’ are back on the national agenda and how. Linguistic chauvinism has always been a political weapon only now it has resurfaced in a manner that only exposes the underlying hypocrisies and narrow political agendas of leaders who seek to divert attention from real issues of our times.

Shah’s grievances against English are rooted in the Sangh Parivar’s Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan belief system, a belief that views English as being a colonial language antithetical to ‘Indian culture’. Ironically, Shah enrolled for a biochemistry course in St Xavier’s college in Ahmedabad, widely considered an English elite institution in the city. He later shifted to CU Shah Science College in the city. His son, Jay Shah, now the president of International Cricket Conference — the apex body of the original sport of the Empire-studied at Loyola Hall in Ahmedabad, another of the city’s much sought after English medium schools. And yet, Shah has never hidden his disdain for English.

Like Shah, the Thackerays too have sent their children to English medium schools. Nor have they stopped speaking or giving interviews in Hindi. And yet, their politics revolves around a ‘Marathi-first’ agenda, if only to establish a distinctive identity in a crowded political marketplace.