New Delhi [India], June 22 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nishikant Dubey slammed Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, questioning the motives of the Congress leader to encourage learning English rather than local languages while also alluding to the 'hypocrisy' of opposing the National Education Police (NEP) 2020 for language choice stating that the 1986 NEP had similar goals.

'Rahul Gandhi ji your investigative advisor is hell bent on destroying you, this is the education policy of 1986 given by your father to the country, in this, your father is promising the country to promote Hindi, teach Sanskrit language and translate English into regional languages. This same education policy is almost in place now. Students should also grow with regional languages, changes in this have been made by Prime Minister Modi ji in 2020,' Dubey said in a post on X in Hindi.

https://x.com/nishikant_dubey/status/1936627887181840556

He said that while countries such as Russia, China, France, Germany, Japan and, Arab countries were 'proud of their language,' the former Congress president is proud of English 'like slaves.'

'Russia, China, France, Germany, Arab countries, Japan, Korea all are proud of their language and it is developed, why are you proud of English like slaves, we are proud of Santhali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit,' Dubey's post read.

Dubey shared screenshots purportedly of the 1986 NEP, which stated 'the policy emphasises the adoption of regional languages as the media of instruction at the university stage; vigorous effort at implementation of the three language- formula; improvement in the linguistic competencies of students at different stages of education; provision of facilities for the study of English and other foreign languages; development of Hindi as the link language....teaching of Sanskrit at the university stage...'

Dubey's post was made in response to another post by Rahul Gandhi where he supported people, especially people from marginalised backgrounds, learning English. He said that learning the language could be a stepping stone to equality, more job opportunities, which is what the BJP-RSS does not want.

'It is not an English 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. 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 said in a post on X.

While also highlighting that every language is useful and beautiful for its culture, knowledge, and soul, the party leader added, 'In today's world, English is as important as your mother tongue - because it will provide employment and boost your confidence. Every language of India has soul, culture, knowledge. We have to cherish them - and at the same time teach English to every child. This is the path to an India that competes with the world, that gives every child an equal opportunity.'

The Congress leader's remarks were in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks, where he said that the languages of India are 'ornaments of our culture,' and to understand the land's history, dharma cannot be done in foreign languages.

The remarks by Shah was heavily objected to by multiple people, including by Tamil Nadu Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. (ANI)