Amit Shah urges promotion of Indian languages, says speaking English may soon be seen as “shameful”
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday declared that India is heading towards a future where speaking English may become a source of shame. He called for reclaiming its linguistic pride and urged it to shed the remnants of colonial influence.
Speaking at the launch of Main Boond Swayam, Khud Sagar Hoon, a book by former IAS officer Ashutosh Agnihotri, Shah stressed that Indian languages are the true essence of the nation's identity and must take precedence. “In this country, those who speak English will soon feel ashamed, the creation of such a society is not far away,” he said. He also added that reclaiming one’s mother tongue is an act of self-respect and national dignity.
Shah asserted that foreign languages can never adequately reflect the depth of India’s culture, history or spiritual traditions. “A complete India cannot be imagined through half-baked foreign languages,” he said. He further said that Indian society will soon run its affairs in its own languages, not only with pride but also with leadership on the global stage.
He also proposed the need for a complete overhaul in the training of administrative officers, which he said still reflects colonial-era thinking. He noted that without empathy, governance cannot be meaningful.
Shah described literature as the soul of the country and credited it for keeping the light of religion, culture and freedom alive through dark times.
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Unjustified, says Russia on US pressure on India for buying Russian crude oil
New Delhi, (PTI): The US pressure on India for its procurement of Russian crude oil is "unjustified", a senior Russian diplomat said on Wednesday.
We are confident that India-Russia energy cooperation will continue notwithstanding the external pressure, Russian Deputy Chief of Mission Roman Babushkin said.
It is a "challenging" situation for India, he said at a media briefing and added that, we have "trust" in our ties with New Delhi.
In the context of Western punitive measures against Russia, Babushkin said the sanctions are hitting those who are imposing them.
To a question, he said the role of BRICS as a stabilising force will increase amid the ongoing global turbulence.
His remarks came against the backdrop of strain in India's ties with the US following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent that included an additional penalty of 25 percent for purchasing Russian crude oil.
US President Trump this month issued an executive order slapping an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods as a penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil.
Defending its purchase of Russian crude oil, India has been maintaining that its energy procurement is driven by national interest and market dynamics.
India turned to purchasing Russian oil sold at a discount after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and shunned its supplies over its invasion of Ukraine in February, 2022.
Consequently, from a mere 1.7 percent share in total oil imports in 2019-20, Russia's share increased to 35.1 percent in 2024-25, and it is now the biggest oil supplier to India.
