Amit Shah Re-Elected as Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Official Language [Current Affairs]

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, has been unanimously re-elected as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language. Following the formation of the new government, the committee held a meeting in New Delhi to reconstitute itself, leading to Shah’s re-election. He previously served as the Chairperson from 2019 to 2024. Shah expressed gratitude for the unanimous support and discussed his vision for Hindi’s role in government and education.

Vision for Hindi

Shah highlighted the progress made in promoting Hindi over the past decade, aiming to ensure that Hindi complements rather than competes with local languages. He emphasized the importance of Hindi becoming a friend to all regional languages and fostering acceptance without creating inferiority complexes among speakers of other languages.

Efforts and Achievements

Under Shah’s leadership, the Committee has worked to enrich Hindi by integrating words from local languages, creating a Shabdkosh, and developing software for automatic translation of all languages in the Eighth Schedule. This initiative aims to advance Hindi’s acceptance and functionality in government work.

Future Goals

Looking ahead, Shah set a goal for the year 2047 to have all government work conducted in Indian languages with pride. He stressed the need to revitalize Hindi, integrate it with new technologies, and ensure it serves as a medium of communication between states. The Home Minister also emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to increase Hindi’s acceptance and impact.

Historical Context and Committee Structure

The Parliamentary Committee on Official Language was established under Section 4 of the Official Languages Act, 1963, in 1976, comprising 30 members from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The committee’s recent meeting was attended by newly appointed MPs and officials from the Department of Official Language, including Secretary Smt. Anshuli Arya.