New Delhi, Sep 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, describing India as a "language-oriented nation" whose linguistic traditions have kept its culture vibrant and unified through centuries.
"From the Himalayas to the seashores, from deserts to villages, our languages have shown the way for society to stay organised and move forward through communication and expression. Walk together, think together, and speak together has been the core mantra of our linguistic-cultural consciousness," Amit Shah said in his message.
He underlined that the strength of India's languages lay in their inclusivity.
"The songs of Bihu in the Northeast, Oviyalu in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab, the verses of Vidyapati in Bihar, Baul hymns in Bengal, and Bhikari Thakur's Bidesia - all have kept our culture vibrant and welfare-oriented," he said.
Recalling the role of languages in India's freedom movement, Amit Shah said they became the "voice of resistance" during colonial rule.
"Poets, writers, and playwrights of every Indian language connected people with the freedom struggle. Slogans like Vande Mataram and Jai Hind emerged from our linguistic consciousness and became symbols of pride," he said.
The Home Minister highlighted that Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, was adopted as the official language on September 14, 1949.
"Article 351 of the Constitution assigns us the responsibility of promoting and spreading Hindi to make it an effective medium of India's composite culture," he said.
Home Minister Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving Indian languages global recognition.
"Whether at the United Nations, the G20 summit, or the SCO, Modi Ji has enhanced the pride of Indian languages by communicating in Hindi and other Indian languages," he said, calling the past decade a "golden era of renaissance" for Indian culture.
Emphasising the government's efforts to promote Hindi, he noted that since 2014, its use in administration had steadily increased.
"In 2024, on Hindi Diwas, the Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag was set up to ensure seamless translation between all major Indian languages. Our goal is to make Hindi and other Indian languages not just a medium of communication but the cornerstone of technology, science, justice, education, and governance," Amit Shah said.
He said that in the age of Artificial Intelligence and Digital India, Indian languages were being developed as "future-capable and globally competitive."
Calling language "like a drop of monsoon that washes away sorrow and gives new energy," Amit Shah urged citizens to respect every Indian language along with Hindi.
Quoting Mithila's poet Vidyapati, he said: "Desil bayana sab jan mittha -- one's own language is the sweetest."
"On this Hindi Diwas, let us honour all Indian languages and move together towards a self-reliant and developed India," the Home Minister said.