Speak mother tongue with pride, says PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon youngsters to make videos of famous Indian songs in different languages that will not only make them popular but also showcase the country’s diversity to the new generation.

Modi praised Tanzanian siblings Kili Paul and Neema who, he said, have created ripples on social media by lip-syncing several Indian songs, including the country’s national anthem on Republic Day. In his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast, Prime Minister Modi highlighted a number of issues, including the cases of triple talaq going down by over 80 percent following a law banning the practice, and also urged people to develop scientific temperament among children.

Even after 75 years of Independence, there are people who have dilemmas and reservations regarding their language, dress, food and drink, whereas it is not like this anywhere else in the world, Modi said. People should speak their language with pride, he said, adding India is incomparable in its richness of languages. Noting that India recently got back an ancient idol that was stolen from Bihar a few years back, from Italy, he said a big rise in the number of smuggled precious Indian idols being brought back to India since his government came to power in 2014 shows how the world has begun to view the country differently.

He said, “Till 2013, nearly 13 idols had been brought back to India. But, in the last seven years, India has successfully brought back more than 200 precious idols.” With the International Mother Language Day being observed recently, Modi referred to Tanzanian Kili Paul and his sister Neema and spoke of their passion for Indian songs, including their tribute to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar.

“As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, youth can make videos of popular songs of Indian languages in their own way,” he said, adding that people of one state making videos with songs of another state will make them experience “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” (One India, great India). “I would emphasise about mother tongue that as our mother moulds our life, in the same manner, mother tongue also shapes our life.

“The mother and mother tongue, both together strengthen the foundation of life, lending it permanence. Just like we cannot abandon our mother, similarly, we cannot leave our mother tongue either,” Modi said. The world’s oldest language Tamil is in India and every Indian should be proud of this significant heritage, he said. In the same way, many ancient scriptures have found expression in Sanskrit. The people of India are proud to be associated with 121 forms of mother tongues and 14 of these languages are spoken by more than one crore people in everyday life, the prime minister said. — PTI