Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, June 19, 2025, sparked widespread debate with his statement that those who speak English in India will soon feel ashamed, while calling for a larger cultural and linguistic shift towards Indian languages in public life, governance, and national identity.

Speaking at the book launch of “Main Boond Swayam, Khud Sagar Hoon”, authored by former IAS officer Ashutosh Agnihotri, Mr. Shah strongly criticised the over-reliance on English and termed it a colonial residue obstructing India’s complete transformation.

‘English Will No Longer Be a Marker of Pride’

“In this country, those who speak English will soon feel ashamed — the creation of such a society is not far away,” Shah declared during the event. He emphasised that only those who are determined can bring about real change and urged citizens to revive pride in their own languages.

Calling Indian languages the “jewels of our culture”, Shah said,

“Without our languages, we cease to be truly Indian.”

He argued that to understand India’s culture, history, religion and civilisation, one must engage in local languages rather than “half-baked foreign languages.”

Run India in Our Own Languages: Shah

Amit Shah underlined that no foreign language, including English, can suffice in expressing or preserving Indian identity.

“Once again, with self-respect, we will run our country in our own languages and lead the world too,” he said, adding that he is aware of the difficulties but confident of success.

He linked this linguistic vision with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Panch Pran (five pledges) laid out for Amrit Kaal, which include:

1. Making India a developed nation

2. Erasing all remnants of colonial mentality

3. Taking pride in India’s heritage

4. Promoting unity and solidarity

5. Inspiring a deep sense of duty among citizens

“These pledges have become the resolve of 130 crore Indians, and our languages will be central to realising the dream of a developed India by 2047,” he asserted.

Call for Reforms in IAS Training

In another notable segment of his speech, Shah called for a radical overhaul in the training of India’s civil servants, specifically IAS officers, arguing that the current model lacks empathy and is rooted in colonial structures.

“Rarely are they trained to introduce empathy in our system. Maybe because the British era inspired this training model. If any administrator rules without empathy, they cannot achieve the real objective of governance,” Shah said.

He advocated for a value-based administrative education system, rooted in Indian ethos and inclusive governance principles.

Praise for Indian Literature and Cultural Guardianship

The Union Minister also hailed the role of literature as the soul of Indian society, crediting it with preserving India’s religious and cultural identity through colonial oppression and modern transformations.

“When our country was consumed in an era of pitch black darkness, even then literature kept the lamps of our religion, freedom, and culture lit,” Shah said.

He added that while governmental changes often went unopposed, any attempt to tamper with India’s cultural and literary roots has met with strong public resistance.

Political and Social Reactions Expected

Shah’s sharp remarks on English speakers are expected to trigger sharp reactions across political lines, especially from opposition leaders, liberal commentators, and educationists who view English as a crucial global link language.

However, the broader political message in Shah’s speech aligns with the BJP's cultural nationalism ideology and reflects the government’s push to promote Hindi and regional languages in education, courts, and administration, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Conclusion

Amit Shah’s statement that English speakers will soon feel ashamed is more than a passing remark. It reflects the ruling party's larger ambition to Indianise governance, administration, and identity. By coupling this with calls for empathy-based training of bureaucrats and cultural revivalism through literature, Shah has painted a vision for a post-colonial, linguistically empowered India — one where language and heritage walk hand in hand with development and global leadership.

Disclaimer:
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