New Delhi, June 20: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing them of denying India’s poor children the opportunity to learn English in order to maintain inequality.
Gandhi’s remarks came in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s reported statement that English speakers in India would “feel ashamed” in the future. Countering the narrative, Gandhi said English was not a source of embarrassment, but a vital tool for empowerment.
“English is not a dam, it is a bridge. English is not shame, it is power. English is not a chain, it is a tool to break the chains,” he said in a social media post. “The BJP-RSS don’t want poor kids of India to learn English because they don’t want you to ask questions, move ahead and become equal.”
The Congress leader argued that in today’s globalised world, fluency in English was as essential as one’s mother tongue. He emphasised that the language had become a key to employment and confidence, especially for underprivileged children.
“Every language of India has a soul, culture, knowledge. We have to cherish these languages and at the same time, teach English to every child,” Gandhi said. “This is the path to an India that competes with the world, that gives every child an equal opportunity.”
The comments are part of Gandhi’s ongoing campaign to position the Congress as a defender of social equity and educational access, particularly in contrast with the ruling party’s ideological stance.
