The government has once again donned its cultural armour and is trumpeting its agenda of anointing Hindi as the national language. It is not new and has been tabled numerous times since independence. Yet, the reactions against it have not reduced the fervour of the yay-sayers. The agenda reeks of a pseudo-theocratic dictatorial outcome.

Pushing a single language is challenging the very federal structure of the Constitution. Language, religion and culture are already being forced down the throats of citizens. Once this is achieved, the next step will be to abolish democracy altogether and make India exactly like its most beloved neighbour. The nation will once again reach a neo-golden age where the people will be subjugated under the caste system.

The "proponents" cast Hindi as the language of the 'common man,' while the elite's choice of English and all the other languages are overtly and covertly derided as foreign languages or as uncultured. No scions of privilege have been asked to set an example and learn Hindi. No, they study at international schools in India and abroad.

Consider the rationale behind this linguistic stratification. BJP ministers, among others, have been touting Hindi as a tool for uniting a diverse nation, yet in reality, it is more akin to a language of exclusion. This tool conveniently sidelines regional vernaculars and reinforces a social hierarchy. The elite, with their global outlook and international pedigree, are not expected to follow this call to Hindi arms.

This is neo-Brahminism manoeuvre in action, masquerading as national fervour—a subtle yet dogged effort to assert superiority by promoting a language that the privileged have little use for.

Our leaders argue that Hindi is the natural vessel of India's cultural heritage, a unifying force capable of bridging the myriad divides that fragment our society. However, is a language truly capable of healing centuries of social inequities, or is this just a cleverly disguised excuse to impose a uniform cultural code?

The reasons are baseless and manufactured. Like any language, Hindi is a communication tool—a medium that anyone can embrace, irrespective of class or caste. Yet, by declaring it categorically imperative for the 'real' Indians, the BJP effectively creates an in-group and an out-group, fostering a subtle yet pernicious form of social discrimination.

One also wonders at the sheer nincompoopity of those who want to implement this. India, wanting to be a Vishwaguru, is on track to being a specimen in a zoological park. Our leaders are going the other way as the world becomes increasingly globalised and national lines are blurring. They have appointed themselves as guardians to draw "Laxman Rekhas" in a bid to preserve the "purity" of India.

Even as the US prepares to deport even more Indians, maybe in chains, the government refuses to see the error of its ways. India has seen the largest number of people renouncing citizenship and attempting to illegally enter other countries, searching for better opportunities for themselves and their children during the BJP-RSS rule.

The condition that India is in today is a result of the decade-long rule of the saffron party sucking out the blood of the people through its policies, while the supporters of the party have only benefited from them.