Language war is not a new matter in our country. With the locals of Bangalore starting a fight with non-Kannada speakers for speaking in English or Hindi, and Maharashtra joining the saga of speaking only Marathi, we Indians have clearly lost the plot.

Amidst the tension of linguistic intolerance, which is spreading all over the country, the Union Minister, Mr. Amit Shah, has come up with a solution. To promote the use of regional languages, the government has established the Bhartiya Bhasha Anubhag, that is, the Indian Languages Section.

This section, which was introduced on June 6, 2025, aims at strengthening the Modi government’s efforts to ‘decolonise’ the administrative practices by incorporating the local languages rather than English, which has dominated the sphere so far.

Introduction of Bhartiya Bhasha Anubhag

The Union Minister has been quite vocal about India’s linguistic diversity, saying, “Our process of thinking, analysis and decision making can only be fully realised in one’s mother tongue”, which is true.

It is important to understand that the Bhartiya Bhasha Anubhag does not establish Hindi as the official language of the country. Instead, it will help the administration in facilitating communication between the multilingual states.

For example, if Karnataka writes to the central government, the reply will not be given in Hindi or English; rather, it will be communicated in the state language, Kannada.

Introducing this system will benefit the people, as it takes India a step ahead in forming its own linguistic identity and separating itself from the language of the colonisers.

Objectives of the Program

The government aims to achieve multiple goals from its latest initiative:

Decolonisation of the government administration

A lot of government work still takes place in English. Emphasis must be laid on the fact that more than half of the country is not comfortable reading or writing English, and that is completely fine.

To instill a sense of pride and honour among Indians for using their regional mother tongue, this move plays a vital role. It will help ensure that our regional languages do not get overshadowed by English.

Promotion of Linguistic Diversity

According to the 2011 census, India has more than 10,000 active speakers speaking 121 languages, making India one of the most linguistically diverse nations of the world. To conserve this diversity, it is important to protect and respect all the languages equally, irrespective of the number of speakers.

Educational Reforms

The National Education Policy 2020 dictates that education must be imparted in the child’s mother tongue. The purpose of the same is to ensure that a child understands and learns better in their own language, rather than in a foreign language.

How will the Bhartiya Bhasha Anubhag be implemented?

The most difficult challenge that the government will have to face is the implementation scheme. In what phases can this initiative be planned out as well as enforced to obtain the best result? Which region shall be targeted first? The answers to these questions lie in the strategies that have been devised by the government:

Starting from educational institutions

The learning of a child begins at school. It is the place where he learns his first alphabet, his first lesson, and is introduced to the world of numbers. So, it is obvious that the implementation of the program also begins in schools.

Teaching a child in his mother tongue will not only help him to understand better, but also ensure quality education. Collaborating with the state education boards will make the process of implementation efficient.

Translation services

Since 1400 BC, India has been translating texts and books to other languages, whether it be the Buddhist texts being translated to Chinese or the noted English translators William Jones and Charles Wilkins translating the Sanskrit epics into English – we are no strangers to the world of translation.

Taking inspiration from our ancestors, an efficient mechanism will be established by the government to convert major documents, texts, policies, and educational content in Indian languages to ensure inclusivity and broader reach to the readers.

Public awareness campaigns

Unlike earlier times, people today are actively involved and are also aware of their linguistic rights. The awareness comes from the government’s heavy expenditure on advertisements and social awareness campaigns, which have been very helpful in educating Indians about the rich history of their mother tongue.

The Reception By Politicians

No program is met by only appreciation in any healthy democracy, as it should be. The Bhartiya Bhasha Anubhag has also met with its fair share of criticism from the opposition, and strong backing from its enforcer, that is the Bhartiya Janta Party.

The southern states, which have always felt a strong imposition of Hindi in the country, have been quite outspoken about this implementation. M.K. Stalin, the current chief minister of Tamil Nadu, has requested Amit Shah to retract his statement, as he feels that the act is an attempt to portray the non-Hindi speaking people as “second-grade citizens”.

Even the superstar, Rajnikanth, who is revered in South, made his stance clear by saying that the Southern states will not accept “Hindi imposition”.

Other political leaders were also blunt in putting their point forward. Taking a dig at the BJP’s policy, Asaduddin Owaisi said, “Hindi isn’t every Indian’s ‘mother tongue’…. India’s much bigger than Hindi, Hindu, Hindutva.” Sougata Roy of TMC said that not even Nehru had asserted that Hindi should be imposed on non-Hindi speaking states.

Defending the policy, Union Minister Amit Shah responded, saying that Hindi is not a competitor to other languages; rather, all the other regional languages will also prosper along with Hindi. He even went on to clarify that he never advocated for Hindi imposition.

Politicians always find a reason to debate and critique the other party’s policies. It’s nothing new. However, what matters is that if the implementation of any policy or program can benefit India to evolve and prosper, it should be undertaken. The government has invested ₹56 Crore for the establishment of the Bhartiya Bhasha Anubhag. The success of this new initiative depends on the implementation strategies and an inclusive policy-making. As the country takes strides towards development, embracing linguistic diversity and unity will be very crucial.

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