Guwahati, Mar 05, 2025, TRIPURATIMES Desk

Guwahati, March 5 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that Hindi is not only the official language of the country but it is also the language of the heart of every Indian. CM Sarma while speaking at a function here on regional languages also hailed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's pledge to make Hindi a stronger language. He said, "Union Home Minister Amit Shah has appealed that by 2047, we have to strengthen Hindi and regional languages so much that we do not have to depend on foreign languages. We must work in that direction." CM Sarma on Wednesday attended the Joint Regional Official Language Conference of the Eastern and North Eastern regions, organised by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, in Sonapur. Speaking on the occasion, the CM expressed his appreciation to the department for selecting Guwahati as the venue and welcomed all attendees to Assam. He congratulated the offices and organisations being felicitated for their exemplary use of Hindi and emphasised the need to promote Hindi while valuing regional languages. Reflecting on the historical context, the Chief Minister noted that colonial rule had instilled a preference for English in Northeast India, delaying Hindi adoption. He said that over time, people recognised Hindi as a gateway to employment opportunities. The Chief Minister added that limited exposure to Hindi initially restricted job opportunities for the region’s youth in North India. However, he remarked that with growing acceptance, Hindi’s popularity has steadily increased. CM Sarma also said that the framers of the Indian Constitution emphasised the need for Hindi to be simple and practical. He added that official Hindi should be free of technical complexities to remain accessible to all, thereby becoming a language of the people. The CM further highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to making Hindi more user-friendly by integrating elements from regional languages for broader acceptance and growth. During the event, CM Sarma, along with the Minister of State for Home Affairs, conferred the prestigious Rajbhasha Award on distinguished government offices and organisations from the Eastern and Northeastern regions. The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, Assam Pradesh BJP President and MP, Dilip Saikia and other dignitaries.