Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological fount, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for discouraging the learning of English to deny India’s poor the tools to question authority and access opportunity. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (X)

“English is not a dam, but a bridge. English is not a shame, but power. English is not a chain, but a tool to break the chains. The BJP and RSS do not want poor kids of India to learn English because they do not want you to ask questions, move ahead and become equal,” Gandhi wrote on X as he posted a video criticising the RSS for opposing the widespread use of English.

“[RSS chief] Mohan Bhagwat says every day to not speak in English but in Hindi. But, if you look at the kids of those in the RSS and the BJP, everyone goes to England for studies… What is the thought behind it? Because they do not want you to enter the board rooms, or for you to get high-paying jobs. They want to go to English schools, carry on with their contracts… They want to keep the doors closed for you.”

Gandhi underlined the role of English and native languages as a means of empowerment. He argued English plays a crucial role in instilling confidence and enhancing employment prospects, just like one’s mother tongue. “Every language of India has soul, culture, and 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 and gives every child an equal opportunity.”