Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday came out in support of English language education, emphasizing its importance in today’s world.
Gandhi, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, criticized the BJP-RSS for allegedly wanting to deny English education to India’s poor children, thereby limiting their opportunities.
His remarks come after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly said that those speaking in English would soon feel ashamed in the country.
In a post shared in Hindi on handle X, Gandhi said, “English is not a barrier, but a bridge. English is not shameful, but power. English is not a chain – it’s a tool to break chains… In today’s world, English is as necessary as your mother tongue – because it will provide employment, boost confidence.”
Gandhi emphasized the importance of English language education in enabling India’s children to compete globally and secure better opportunities. He also highlighted the need to preserve and promote India’s diverse languages and cultures.
The RSS has a complex stance on English language education, generally advocating for the promotion of Indian languages as the primary medium of instruction, but not necessarily opposing English education altogether.
The RSS believes in “Indianizing” the education system, which includes emphasizing the use of Indian languages in schools and colleges. However, this doesn’t equate to a complete rejection of English, as they also recognize the importance of English for global communication and access to knowledge.
Earlier this year in February, the Congress leader had also emphasized, “But the English language is a weapon, if you learn this language, you can go anywhere, be it Tamil Nadu, Japan or Mumbai or work in any company…They want you not to learn English because where this language is used, they don’t want Dalits, Adivasis and the poor not to come there.
“But English is your biggest weapon…Hindi is also important, it is not right to cut your roots…But English is also very important,” he added.