Unity in Diversity: The Language Spectrum of India

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien highlighted India's linguistic diversity amid a debate on language policy. With 22 constitutionally recognized languages and 19,500 dialects, he emphasized 'unity in diversity'. He criticized the central government for not appreciating this richness, amid comments by Home Minister Amit Shah on English.

The ongoing debate on language policy in India took a new turn as Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien emphasized the vast linguistic diversity of the nation. He pointed out that India recognizes 22 languages officially and hosts a spectrum of 19,500 languages and dialects.

In a video statement, O'Brien accused the central government of failing to understand the concept of 'unity in diversity', emphasizing that 97 percent of Indians speak one of these recognized languages as their mother tongue.

His comments were in response to reported remarks by Home Minister Amit Shah on the English language. TMC's Sagarika Ghose also defended linguistic multiplicity, stating the importance of English as a link language in India.