The 2021 Assembly election in West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress triumphed over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), can be seen as a battle for the preservation of identity, culture, and language. The BJP, which emerged as the main opposition in the state, should have learned that the people of West Bengal are opposed to the imposition of an alien culture. Despite promises of development by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders, who predominantly spoke in Hindi, the state overwhelmingly voted for Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool, emphasizing Bengali identity and language. This result is a rejection of the BJP’s attempt to homogenize culture and language.
Amit Shah’s recent comment suggesting Hindi as an alternative to English reinforces the BJP’s long-standing agenda. However, this imposition is unlikely to be well-received in the state’s political and social circles and may hinder the BJP’s electoral prospects in the future. Along with the “Bangla Nijer Meykei Chai” slogan, the Trinamool effectively labeled the BJP and its supporters as “outsiders.” The BJP’s reliance on Hindi-speaking central leaders, who often made errors in referencing Bengali culture, further demonstrated their disconnect from the essential culture of Bengal.
While using terms like “outsiders” for election purposes may have divisive consequences, it played a significant role in helping the Trinamool overcome a challenging situation. Mamata Banerjee’s overwhelming mandate with 213 out of 294 seats and 47.94% of the votes shows that the people of Bengal are opposed to a party promoting a culture alien to their own.
The Trinamool Congress has made it clear that they oppose Amit Shah’s suggestion regarding Hindi and want things to remain as they are. They love the Hindi language and those who speak it but strongly oppose the idea of imposing Hindi as a common language across the country. Other non-BJP opposition parties in the state also express resistance to this proposal, stating that it undermines India’s linguistic diversity and goes against the constitutional principle of equality.
Language has not been a political issue or a matter of contention among West Bengal’s multilingual population, with Bengali being the most widely spoken language. Imposing Hindi could strengthen parochial groups and further divide society. Social scientists warn of a potential clash between a diverse culture and a monolithic culture in the future.
The political impact of imposing a uniform language would not only be sociological but also political. Various languages, including Bengali, Hindi, Santali, Urdu, and Nepali, are spoken in different regions of the state. The BJP risks alienating important vote banks if it decides to impose Hindi, which could harm its electoral prospects. The Trinamool’s experience in the Darjeeling hills in 2017, where protests erupted over the introduction of Bengali in the school curriculum, serves as a lesson in the difficulty of imposing even Bengali in West Bengal.