Language Wars: Who Gets To Speak For India?

In India, language is both a thread and a faultline. With over 19,500 spoken dialects and 121 major languages, the idea that one language — be it Hindi or English — can represent all 1.4 billion citizens is not just impractical but, for many, extremely unjust. The recent controversies — from violent Kannada protests in Bengaluru to A.R. Rahman's remarks about Tamil pride, northeastern states' demands for linguistic autonomy, and the most recent Maharashtra’s Marathi mandate in schools — have brought language politics back to national headlines.

Kaleidoscope of the Constitution

India's Constitution acknowledges 22 official languages under the Eighth Schedule and provides states the power to choose their official languages. Hindi and English are the Union’s official languages, but the idea of Hindi as a national unifier has faced pushback for decades.

“India is a multilingual nation by design, not by accident and linguistic federalism is key to our unity. Language cannot be imposed, it has to be embraced,” says Dr Ranjeet Kumar, Head of the Hindi Department, Delhi University.

While language debate has been ongoing for decades, the recent act by the Maharashtra government to make Marathi instruction mandatory for all students till Class 10 in state-affiliated schools, including those run by CBSE and ICSE boards pushes it further. Though this move is meant to preserve the state's linguistic roots, it has been opposed by parents of migrant communities, especially in Mumbai, who fear marginalisation.

School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, in a statement, said, "Hindi was already compulsory for Classes 5, 6, and 7. Now that compulsion is being removed from class 6 onwards, Hindi will be taught only at the primary level from classes 1 to 5 — to give students a basic grasp of the language, which is widely spoken across the country." The minister also reiterated the government's efforts to promote Marathi. "Our government has taken major steps for Marathi — granting it classical language status, building Marathi Bhawan, launching the Marathi International Council, and a Marathi encyclopedia."

Caught between tongues

Many say it is anti-Hindi but the authorities ensure that this is for the students living in Maharashtra to connect with the state’s language and culture. However, critics argue that it could alienate non-Marathi speakers and limit linguistic choice. Aruna Joshi, a mother of a fifth-grade son, is worried if her son will learn Hindi. "I have been meeting many teachers as well as Gen Z and Millennials who can't read Hindi. I feel shocked. I don't want my son to become the same. I am from North India, where Hindi is widely spoken. One may say I can go back and let my child study there, but that's not the solution. I want my child to know Marathi as we are living in the state, but if they eliminate Hindi, then it's a tough spot for parents," says Joshi, a teacher at a school in Goregaon.

Down south in Karnataka language tensions have escalated dramatically since the beginning of 2025. The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a pro-Kannada group, staged protests demanding exclusive prominence for Kannada on signage, even in multilingual areas like Bengaluru. Shops and malls faced vandalism if Kannada was not displayed prominently. "We are not opposed to languages, but Kannada should be prominent," said KRV leader T.A. Narayana Gowda.

The violence took a dramatic turn so much so that the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for calm but also backed a new state signage policy that mandates Kannada as the primary language on all public boards. "We are affectionate about Kannada, there is no discrimination in this. There are a lot of people from different states who come here to work but this is becoming unbearable. Anywhere you go, you are faced with discrimination. This wasn't the case two years back. Now they just say, 'speak in Kannada'. People have become very rude," says Ayesha Umi, who moved from Delhi to Bengaluru 12 years back.

Line in the sand

The one that tops the list is Tamil Nadu and unlike other states, this one has been pro-Tamil language for decades. The state's resistance to Hindi dates back to anti-Hindi agitations in the 1930s and 1960s. In April this year, the controversy flared again when composer A.R. Rahman declared that Tamil is the most powerful language. On the occasion of Tamil New Year, the music maestro took to his Instagram handle and wrote, "Tamil is the most powerful language that evolves and grows in the world's class languages. Especially, Tamil Sangas have played an important role in strengthening the language through studies and enriching it by making amendments. The stretch of our Tamil, which is not innovative, shows us the responsibility that we should carry to the next generation through meaningful communications. (sic)" While his emotions were celebrated in Tamil circles, the statement sparked online backlash from some north Indian netizens who saw it as "dismissive of Hindi."

The Oscar-winning musician later clarified, “I was celebrating Tamil, not rejecting any other language. Every language has beauty, but Tamil is intrinsic to my identity.”

Dr P Ramakrishnan, a theatre practitioner in Chennai believes that the backlash reveals insecurity. “Celebrating a language shouldn't be seen as a threat. But in Hindi vs. others debates everything including cultural pride becomes political," says Ramakrishnan.

Speaking of identity

Mostly missing from the national language debate are the Northeastern states, many of which have their own linguistic systems distinct from Hindi. In March 2025, Meghalaya Minister of Finance Conrad Sangma objected to a central notification making Hindi mandatory for certain government training programs. He called it "insensitive" to the region’s linguistic landscape. "Hindi is not a foreign language to us but we don't speak it much. The Northeast speaks over 200 languages and Hindi imposition here feels like erasure," says Hoisnam Tomba, language rights activist and theatre practitioner in Manipur.

Exam room fight

The language controversy has also reached national recruitment exams. Earlier this year, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) was forced to roll back a Hindi-English-only notification. Odisha and West Bengal aspirants demanded the right to take the exam in their mother tongues — Odia and Bengali respectively. "It's about access to education and opportunities. When exams are only in Hindi or English, it excludes a large segment of the country. That's discrimination and employment is a right for everyone," says Professor Ishwar Chandra, former dean of the music and language department in Vadodara, Gujarat.

While all regional languages versus Hindi battle continues, English operates as a neutral bridge, a colonial legacy that has turned into an aspirational tool over the decades. In metropolitan cities and elite institutions in India, English dominates education and employment. Critics argue that this poses a challenge to Indian grassroots languages. "English is politically safe but it divides society. It doesn't bring uniformity but separates urban from rural, elite from common. People don't protest English because it comes with opportunities," says Krishna Mahawar, Professor of language and arts in Rajasthan.

Many tongues, one uneasy future

Logically, India's linguistic diversity is not a problem to be solved but a reality that should be respected. Imposing Hindi or any language will only alienate people from each other and build unrest in society. Experts advocate a multilingual policy that ensures equal space for all languages. "If we go multilingual it won't create any chaos, rather it will bring order. We must protect each language and not flatten them," says Dr Kumar.

Amid the rumble of language, the question remains – whose language is India's language? The answer may never be singular and perhaps, that's the point and that's where India's strength lies – unity in diversity!

India’s recent language flashpoints (2024-2025)

Maharashtra

Marathi made mandatory till Class 10 in all schools

Karnataka

Anti-Hindi signage protests turn violent in Bengaluru

Tamil Nadu

A.R. Rahman’s Tamil pride comment prompted online backlash

Northeast

Objection to Hindi training programs in Meghalaya

National Exams

Protests over Hindi-English- only formats in RRB, SSC

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