The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has submitted a formal representation to the President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), expressing concern over recent remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which the party says could have serious implications for linguistic minorities and weaker sections of Indian society.
In the letter addressed to the AICC President, the NPCC stated, “whenever a non-secular party is in power at the centre, they often push agenda that marginalises minority communities and weaker sections, undermining the country’s diversity and inclusivity.”
Referring specifically to remarks made by Amit Shah on June 19, 2025, during the Hindi book launch of “Main Boond Swayam, Khud Sagar Hoon” by former IAS officer Ashutosh Agnihotri, the NPCC cited his statement: “In this country, those who speak English will soon feel ashamed, the creation of such a society is not far away… Without our languages, we cease to be truly Indian.”
Shah had further said, “To understand our country, our culture, our history, and our religion, no foreign language can suffice. The idea of a complete India cannot be imagined through half-baked foreign languages… Once again, with self-respect, we will run our country in our own languages and lead the world too.”
Describing the statement as alarming, the NPCC argued that “Nagaland, with its 16 major tribes and diverse linguistic landscape, would be disproportionately affected as English is the primary medium of communication across tribal groups.” It warned that any shift away from English could “severely hinder official communication and jeopardise the rights of the people of Nagaland as equal partners in the country’s development.”
The representation further criticised the Union Minister’s comments as indicative of a “disturbing lack of understanding and appreciation for the linguistic diversity that enriches our nation.”
Citing historical precedent, the NPCC recalled the Janata regime under Prime Minister Morarji Desai, stating that he “deliberately tried to target religious freedom of the minorities, especially against the Christians, by introducing the ill-fated Freedom of Religion Bill in the Parliament.” It also referenced the intervention of Congress leader Indira Gandhi in 1978, saying that it was “her foresight and leadership that prevented this move, ensuring the protection of minority rights and regional identities.”
Concluding the representation, the NPCC urged the AICC President to “intervene in this matter and ensure Union Home Minister’s statement is properly addressed and corrected, in the larger interest of national harmony and unity.”
