Language is a delicate topic in India, as linguistic diversity led to the creation of multiple states after independence. The local language is frequently inseparable from regional pride and identity, therefore any alteration to the status quo could be interpreted as threat.
Maharashtra, the wealthiest state in India, has been entrapped in a language and identity war for weeks. The controversy started in April when the Maharashtra government, citing a federal policy requiring children to be taught three languages in school, mandated that Hindi be taught as a third language in state-run primary schools, in addition to English and Marathi, the state’s dominant language. The Maharashtra government’s decision was strongly criticized by opposition leaders, language advocates, and civil society organizations who said it was an attempt to force Hindi, which is primarily spoken in northern and central Indian states.
In India, where many states, including Maharashtra, were created after independence based on linguistic distinctions, language is a delicate topic. Since regional pride and identity are frequently inseparably linked to the local language and any alteration to the status quo may be viewed as a threat. In Bengaluru, which is sometimes referred to as India’s Silicon Valley, Kannada-language activists, for example, staged demonstrations last year to demand that advertisements be written in the local tongue rather than merely English.
However, Bengaluru and Maharashtra are not alone. Similar linguistic time bombs are being prodded, if not ignited, in West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar as India gets ready for Assembly elections. Language has become both a weapon and a badge in these eastern and northeastern states, where linguistic identity has historically served as both a point of convergence and a source of disagreement. Political parties are once again using mother tongues to win votes, whether it is through redefining administrative language policies, demonizing linguistic outsiders, or claiming regional pride. In addition, people who are left behind often feel unsafe, divided, or even threatened by the bombast storm.
Bengali Language And It’s Impact In West Bengal
The language controversy is not new in West Bengal, but it has been revived with renewed energy. Linguistic assertiveness has traditionally been regarded by the state as an indication of cultural sophistication. However, political discourses surrounding Bengali identity are becoming more intense in the lead-up to the 2026 elections, especially in reaction to what the Trinamool Congress (TMC) portrays as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “Hindi imposition” plan.
TMC: ‘Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chay’ Repurposed
Several times, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has mentioned safeguarding the Bengali language, or “Bangla bhasha,” from cultural invasion. The unique literary, film, and linguistic heritage of West Bengal is being highlighted more and more in the TMC’s media initiatives. In response to concerns that an rising BJP led by Hindi-heartland leaders might destroy regional culture, slogans from the 2021 campaign, such as “Bangla nijer meyekei chay” (“Bengal wants its own daughter”), are being repurposed.
BJP: Torn Between Two Identities
In the meantime, the BJP is balancing its efforts to appear as insiders by releasing campaign materials in Bengali, but it has also come under fire for leaders speaking primarily in Hindi at rallies. Party workers in North Bengal, where a sizable portion of the population speaks Hindi or Nepali, say they feel torn between two identities. As a result, language is turning into a tool for emotional mobilization as well as a proxy for opposing centralization, and as the TMC runs for a third consecutive term, it is relying on Bengali pride to protect its cultural and electoral stronghold.
Assam: Rainbow Of Languages And Most Complex Case
Assam is a collage of languages—Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, and several tribal tongues—and the politics of language here are totally linked to issues of identity, local connections, and survival. In 2020, the Assam government sparked controversy by proposing that Assamese be made a compulsory subject in schools throughout the state. This move sparked widespread protests, especially in Barak Valley, where the majority speaks Bengali. Assam is perhaps the most complex case in terms of linguistic conflict.
One Assam One Identity
Despite opposition from the Bengali-speaking community, which resulted to the plan’s partial reversal, linguistic division persists. Under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the ruling BJP is promoting the idea of “One Assam, One Identity” in the run-up to the 2026 elections, which subtly gives preference to Assamese.
Pro-Bengali vs Pro-Assamese
There is discomfort in response to this push. A recent controversy arose when certain government announcements in the Barak Valley required the use of Assamese as the official language. Civil society organizations organized sit-ins, and at one demonstration, pro-Bengali and pro-Assamese protesters clashed, turning the demonstration violent.
Experts Warn Breakdown Of Social Peace
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and the opposition Congress are taking advantage of this discomfort. Speaking at a protest in Karimganj, AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal asserted that language is a right rather than a privilege. “By excluding Assamese citizens who speak Bengali, you cannot create an Assam for Assamese.” However, experts caution that the true threat is the breakdown of social peace.
Bihar Language War: A More Refine Conflict
Bihar doesn’t seem to be involved in a language war at first glance because Hindi is the official state language and is spoken by many people. Digging a little farther, however, reveals a more refine conflict between Hindi and regional dialects like as Magahi, Maithili, and Bhojpuri.
‘Bihar Ke Beta, Samajhi Le Baat’: Bhojpuri Slogans Utilized
Regional parties like as the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) are adopting local dialects more frequently in their speeches, campaign materials, and social media posts as 2025 draws near. Tejashwi Yadav, the head of the RJD, is attempting to reach out to rural voters more personally than standard Hindi permits with his Bhojpuri slogans, such as “Bihar ke beta, samajhi le baat” (Bihar’s sons, grasp the message).
Increasing Interest In Other Languages
There is a reason for this increasing interest in dialects. Young people and cultural activists in Bihar are becoming increasingly concerned that their native tongues are being disregarded. Although there are more than 50 million speakers of Bhojpuri and Maithili is recognized by the constitution, neither language receives sufficient state assistance for administration or education. In order to give Bhojpuri and Magahi formal status, activists have petitioned to be included in the Indian Constitution’s Eighth Schedule.
BJP Avoided Offending Core Hindi-Speaking People
It’s interesting to note that the BJP in Bihar has avoided offending its core Hindi-speaking constituency by remaining largely impartial in the dialect dispute. But in cities like Patna and Gaya, the loss of dialectal distinctiveness nevertheless causes a subdued uneasiness. In Bihar, language has evolved into an undercurrent—a nonverbal indicator of cultural affinity that increasingly influences political inclinations.
Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Bengaluru and Maharashtra all share a common theme: language is fundamentally about control, culture, and community rather than just communication. Politicians have known this for a long time. Whether it is a call to action in a dialect, a billboard demonstration, or lobbying for language education in schools, linguistic identity is being shaped, refined, and used as a weapon in the struggle for votes.
People often underestimate the human cost of politics, which includes both direct costs like physical and psychological suffering and indirect repercussions like social disorder and economic hardship.
