Agartala: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that the distinct identity of an ethnic group can be safeguarded only when its language is written in a script “originated in this soil”, arguing that a foreign script cannot play the same role in preserving cultural and civilisational heritage.
Addressing the joint regional conference on Rajbhasha in Agartala, Shah advocated the adoption of the Nagari script for languages and dialects that do not yet have a definite script. He said several languages of the North-East had embraced Nagari, which, he maintained, had strengthened their identity and culture.
The remarks come amid a political debate in Tripura over the choice of script for Kokborok, the state’s second most widely spoken language. While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has favoured Devanagari or Bengali, the Tipra Motha Party, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and other tribal organisations have demanded the Roman script.
“In Tripura, some people are making demands in different directions. I appeal to everyone to adopt the Nagari script for their language,” Shah said. “Many regional languages and dialects of the North-East adopted the Nagari script, and it has certainly given more strength to their identity and culture.”
Justifying his appeal, Shah said indigenous communities had long struggled to preserve their identity. “If that is the case, how can our identity be protected through the use of a foreign-origin script?” he asked. “Our local languages should be protected in a script that originated in our country. Script and language should not become matters of dispute; they were created as instruments of social and cultural development.”
Shah also urged parents to ensure that children learn their mother tongue. “If a child is not taught in the mother tongue, he or she will be deprived of the literature of the language, the history of the region, and may, in future, feel cut off from the culture,” he said. “Children must be capable of writing and speaking in their mother tongue, irrespective of the medium of instruction chosen for formal education.”
Rejecting allegations of Hindi imposition, Shah described Hindi and regional languages as complementary. “A false narrative has been created that Hindi is being imposed. There can be no contradiction or competition between Hindi and other Indian languages,” he said. “Hindi and other languages are like two sisters born of the same mother, nurtured in the same ecosystem.”
“When Hindi is promoted, regional languages gain strength automatically,” he added, expressing satisfaction that what he termed a “misleading campaign” against Hindi had lost traction in recent years.
Drawing comparisons with countries such as Germany, Japan and France, Shah dismissed the notion that prioritising one’s own language leads to isolation. “These nations have adopted their own languages for day-to-day communication, education, innovation and science, and are regarded today as developed countries,” he said.
Invoking social reformer Vinoba Bhave, Shah described Nagari as a “scientific script” well suited to Indian-origin languages. He noted that many languages and dialects across the country still lacked a script. “All such languages must have a script. If Nagari can be adopted for languages without a script, we will be able to protect and preserve more than 2,000 languages and dialects,” he said.
On the security situation in the North-East, Shah said the region had witnessed a marked improvement since 2014. “Before 2014, several insurgent groups were active. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, 21 peace accords have been signed and around 11,000 youths have laid down arms to join mainstream life,” he said. “Strikes, blockades and violence have become a thing of the past, tourism has flourished, and investments are increasing. From a land of conflict, the North-East is now a land of development.”
Highlighting the region’s diversity, Shah said more than 200 languages and dialects were spoken in the North-East, home to over 200 tribal communities, more than 50 distinctive festivals and upwards of 30 nationally recognised traditional dance forms.
Referring to cultural icons from the region, Shah said artists such as Bhupen Hazarika, S. D. Burman, R. D. Burman and Zubeen Garg had achieved national acclaim through Hindi. “Hindi became a platform for them to showcase their talent before the entire nation,” he said.
Shah also cited national leaders — including Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lokmanya Tilak, B. R. Ambedkar, C. Rajagopalachari and Subramania Bharati — who, despite their linguistic diversity, supported Rajbhasha as a means of fostering national unity.
He said the Rajbhasha Department had, under the Modi government, developed “Hindi Shabd Sindhu”, incorporating 84,000 words drawn from various Indian languages to enrich Hindi.
Chief Minister Manik Saha and senior Rajbhasha Department officials also addressed the conference. Several books were released on the occasion, and AI-enabled spectacles were distributed among visually impaired Divyang persons to aid language learning.