Speak mother tongue with pride, says PM Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon youngsters to make their videos with famous Indian songs in different languages, which will not only make them popular but also showcase the country’s diversity to the new generation.
Even after 75 years of Independence, there are people who have dilemma and reservations regarding their language, dress, food and drink, whereas, it is not like this anywhere else in the world, Modi said in his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast.
People should speak their language with pride, he said, adding India is incomparable in its richness of languages.
Noting that India recently got back an ancient idol, which was stolen from Bihar a few years back, from Italy, he said a big rise in the number of precious Indian idols, which were smuggled out, being brought to India since his government came to power in 2014 shows how the world has begun to view the country differently.
He said, “Till 2013, nearly 13 idols had been brought back to India. But, in the last seven years, India has successfully brought back more than 200 precious idols.”
With the International Mother Language Day being observed recently, Modi referred to Tanzanian siblings Kili Paul and Neema who, he said, have created ripples on social media by lip-syncing several Indian songs, including the country’s national anthem on Republic Day.
“As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, youth can make videos of popular songs of Indian languages ??in their own way,” he said, adding that people of one state making their videos with songs of another state will make them experience “Ek Bharat, shreshtha Bharat” (One India, great India).
“I would emphasise about mother tongue that as our mother moulds our life, in the same manner, mother tongue also shapes our life. The mother and mother tongue, both together strengthen the foundation of life; lending it permanence. Just like we cannot abandon our mother, similarly, we cannot leave our mother tongue either,” Modi said.
The world’s oldest language Tamil is in India and every Indian should be proud of this significant heritage, he said.
In the same way, many ancient scriptures have found expression in Sanskrit.
The people of India are proud to be associated with 121 forms of mother tongues and 14 of these languages are spoken by more than one crore people in everyday life, the prime minister said.
Many European countries do not have so much total population that speak each of 14 different languages in our country, he said.
“In 2019, Hindi was ranked third among the most spoken languages ??of the world. Every Indian should be proud of this too. Language is not just a medium of expression, but also serves to preserve the culture and heritage of the society,” the prime minister said.
“Mother tongues have their own science. For understanding this science, emphasis has been laid on studies in the local language in the National Education Policy. Efforts are being made that our professional courses should also be taught in the regional languages,” he said.
