Weaponizing language: The unseen battle undermining India’s republic

Hyderabad: India is a land of magnificent linguistic diversity — over 300 languages and more than 1,600 dialects spoken across its vast expanse. Of these, 22 languages enjoy official recognition under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. This linguistic wealth has always been India’s strength — a symbol of its pluralism, inclusivity, and resilience. Yet today, the same diversity is being twisted into a tool of division. A new kind of linguistic chauvinism is rising — one that seeks to impose dominance, weaponize identity, and fracture the delicate fabric of our unity.

The Constitutional Vision: The framers of our Constitution were deeply conscious of India’s linguistic complexity. They debated language extensively in the Constituent Assembly, ultimately rejecting any notion of a single “national language.” Instead, they adopted Hindi and English as the official languages for Union purposes while safeguarding each region’s freedom to nurture, develop, and protect its native language.

Articles 343 to 351 of the Constitution reflect this balanced vision. Hindi in the Devanagari script was designated as the official language of the Union, but English was allowed to continue indefinitely as an associate official language. Simultaneously, Article 350 guarantees every citizen the right to submit representations to government authorities in the official 22 languages. Thus, India’s linguistic policy was never about dominance — it was about coexistence. The framers ensured that linguistic diversity would not only survive but flourish under the Constitution.

The Present Crisis: From Pride to Intolerance, over the past few years, however, a dangerous distortion of linguistic pride has taken root. Movements that once sought to protect regional languages and cultural heritage are increasingly turning intolerant, exclusionary, and aggressive. What began as love for one’s language is now being weaponized into hostility against others. Instances of citizens being harassed, mocked, or even assaulted for speaking a different language are becoming disturbingly frequent. Social media platforms amplify such incidents, turning local skirmishes into national outrage. Political opportunists exploit these emotions to consolidate vote banks, portraying language as a badge of loyalty rather than a medium of communication.

The Linguistic Fault Lines: The language wars in India run deep, from Potti Sriramulu’s 1952 sacrifice demanding a separate Telugu-speaking state—which paved the way for the States Reorganisation Act of 1956—to ongoing tensions today: the 2025 Maharashtra protests over Hindi versus Marathi, disputes in Bengaluru over Kannada, and Tamil Nadu’s 2023 clashes over NEET and Hindi. These incidents underscore how profoundly language shapes identity, highlighting that pride in one’s tongue must always be balanced with the unity of the nation.

This new wave of language politics seeks to equate pride with aggression. It manifests in online trolling, public humiliation, and even physical intimidation of those who do not conform. Ironically, those shouting loudest about “protecting their language” often contribute least to its preservation — few read literature in their mother tongue, write in it, or work to develop its use in education or technology. True linguistic pride lies in nurturing, teaching, and innovating in one’s language — not in imposing it upon others.

The Cultural and Economic Costs: Linguistic extremism carries grave social and economic costs. In a nation where internal migration is essential for livelihood, inter-state hostility over language can cripple workforce mobility and economic integration. Millions of workers, students, and professionals move across linguistic boundaries — their dignity and safety must be protected.

Moreover, the obsession with language dominance diverts attention from the real crisis: the decline of all Indian languages in the face of English hegemony. Instead of fighting among ourselves, we should be investing in digitization, translation, and content creation in regional languages to make them relevant in the modern economy . Languages thrive through use and adaptation — not by intimidation or forced uniformity.

Lessons from History: India’s civilizational strength has always been rooted in assimilation, not annihilation. Emperor Ashoka inscribed his edicts in Prakrit, Greek, and Aramaic, reaching across linguistic and cultural divides. The Bhakti movement flourished in Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, and Bengali, binding people across regions and castes. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, a steadfast advocate of linguistic and cultural synthesis, warned that nationalism must never eclipse the universality of human empathy. Our Constitution enshrines this principle: India is not merely a federation of languages or religions, but a union of values—liberty, equality, and fraternity. When language is wielded as a weapon, these very values are imperilled.

Promote Multilingualism as Strength: Educational and administrative systems must encourage multilingual proficiency. A person fluent in more than one Indian language represents not division, but unity in diversity.

Civic Accountability: Authorities must act firmly against hooliganism or intimidation in the name of language. Brandishing weapons or threatening others over linguistic issues must invite strict legal consequences under criminal law.

Cultural Investment: State governments should invest in translation projects, digital archives, and regional literature promotion. Pride must come from preservation and creativity, not coercion.

Responsible Media and Political Leadership: Politicians and influencers must resist the temptation to exploit linguistic sentiment for electoral gain. Public discourse must emphasize respect and inclusion.

Citizens’ Role: Every Indian must remember, our mother tongue is a part of our identity, but not the whole of it. National identity transcends linguistic boundaries.

Conclusion: India stands at a crossroads. We can either rise as a civilisation that celebrates its linguistic diversity—both official and unofficial—as a symphony of shared identity, or sink into chaos by allowing linguistic chauvinism to poison our unity. The choice is ours. No language makes one more Indian than another; the greatness of our Republic lies in its inclusivity, not exclusion. Those who weaponize language to divide people, intimidate citizens, or distort the legacy of heroes weaken the moral foundation of our Republic.

It is time to reclaim our collective conscience — to assert that India belongs to every tongue that prays, sings, and dreams in her name. True patriotism is not shouting in one language; it is listening in all. Let us rise above false pride, defend our diversity, and protect the idea of India — united not by language, but by shared respect, justice, and humanity.

(The author is an advocate and a social activist)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of NewsMeter.