The recent statements made by Home Minister Amit Shah that the BJP supports the promotion of all Indian languages have drawn criticism from the Congress party. Jairam Ramesh, the communications-tasked general secretary of the Congress, claimed that while the Modi administration spent Rs 640 crore to promote Sanskrit, it only spent Rs 3 crore to promote Kannada, one of the country’s six classical languages.
Ramesh voiced his displeasure and questioned the government’s dedication to supporting all Indian languages on Twitter. He also criticised the Karnataka government for electing a person to lead the committee reviewing textbooks who had insulted the author of the state hymn.
Ramesh further said that the Union government started the practise of giving Hindi titles to laws in place of their English counterparts. He used the BJP’s catchphrase, “Asatyameva Jayate”, to conclude his post.
https://twitter.com/Jairam_Ramesh/status/1654334014998605825?t=BhUGWfH6lf9SijrrSoQ-Ew&s=19
Shah denied the charge that the BJP and the Union government were attempting to impose Hindi in the southern state in an interview with The Hindu. He said that the government has set up processes to hold various recruitment exams in each language mentioned in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule.
Shah reaffirmed that the BJP supports the advancement of all Indian languages and that the charge that it favours Hindi over regional languages is unfounded. Additionally, he noted that the government had established language centres, created online dictionaries, and released books in a number of regional languages as part of its efforts to promote other languages.
The Congress has previously criticised the BJP’s language policies, charging the group with attempting to impose Hindi on states that do not speak the language. Language has long been a difficult topic in India, with numerous regional parties and organisations fighting to conserve and promote their own native tongues.