English language a target as Modi tries to rid India of colonial influences

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government has stepped up efforts to mitigate all British colonial influences, including use of the English language, in a bid to rid the country of its “slavish mentality”.

Addressing a public rally in his western home state of Gujarat last week, Mr Modi reiterated that knowledge of English was considered a mark of intellectualism in India, even though it was merely a “medium of communication”.

The prime minister said not being able to speak English is a “major hindrance” for many talented young people from rural India, who could not become doctors and engineers because they were not well-versed in the language.

Mr Modi said the nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) New Education Policy 2020, which favours the national Hindi language over English, would address this. Despite the objections of a cross-section of doctors, some 13 government-run medical colleges in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh state in central India will begin offering medical courses in Hindi from next month.

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This has been facilitated by the state government employing scores of linguist experts to translate, albeit unsuccessfully, complex Latin and Greek medical terminology into Hindi.

The neighbouring Maharashtra state — of which Mumbai is the capital and where the BJP is also in power — has gone a step further. It recently proscribed the use of the word “hello” by officials when answering telephone calls or greeting members of the public.

Instead, a government resolution requires all state employees to use “Vande Matram” or “We are bowing before our Mother [India]”.

“It [’hello’] is just a formality, which does not arouse any emotion, while greeting people with ‘Vande Matrma’ will foster affection,” the resolution said.

India’s armed forces were recently advised by the federal government to “decolonise” their elaborate uniforms and trimmings, regimental names, traditional ceremonies, rituals and procedures.

In September, the Indian navy, founded as the Royal Indian Navy in 1934, removed the St George’s Cross from its flag and replaced it with local symbols.

The Indian Army, whose colourful history dates back to the British East Indian Company in the 18th and 19th centuries, has been similarly directed by the government to end its “archaic and antiquated” English practices.

But retired major general AP Singh said: “The Indian Army’s regimental histories and traditions are built on the valour and sacrifice of generations of soldiers, irrespective of under whom they served and where they did so.” He warned against “a troubling transition that hits out at the core of the army’s self-esteem”.

The Beating Retreat ceremony, which has marked the end of India’s Republic Day festivities every January 29th since 1955, is also under threat. This ceremony is performed by buglers and trumpeters and pipe, fife and brass bands from the three armed services.

Ironically, the Retreat symbolically marked the end of British rule, and the colonisers’ departure in 1947.