New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for outlining India’s economic direction and encouraging the nation to take pride in its heritage, following the PM’s recent address. During his speech at the Sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture on Monday, PM Modi remarked, “After winning the Bihar elections, some Modi supporters in the media have begun to say that Modi and the BJP are always in election mode… They do not realize we need to stay in emotional mode, not election mode.” He also discussed British historian Thomas Babington Macaulay’s impact on India’s education system through the 1835 ‘Minute on Indian Education’, which established English as the primary language of instruction.
The Prime Minister questioned why India should belittle its own languages, stating, “Which country criticizes its own languages? Japan, China, Korea have embraced numerous global ideas but never compromised their languages. This is why our National Education Policy emphasizes learning in local languages. We do not oppose English — we support Indian languages. Macaulay’s mistake in 1835 will reach its 200th anniversary in 2035, ten years from now. So today, from this platform, I appeal to the nation: Let the next decade be our commitment to liberate ourselves from this colonial mindset.” In response to the Prime Minister’s comments, Tharoor posted on X, saying, “He spoke of India’s ‘constructive impatience’ for development and strongly advocated for a post-colonial mindset.
The PM stressed that India is no longer merely an ’emerging market’ but an ’emerging model’ for the world, highlighting its economic resilience.” Tharoor also noted PM Modi’s remarks on governance, writing, “PM Modi mentioned he has been accused of being in ‘election mode’ constantly, but he is truly in ’emotional mode’ to address the people’s issues.” Tharoor appreciated the Prime Minister’s focus on reversing what he termed Macaulay’s “200-year legacy of ‘slave mentality’,” adding, “A considerable part of the speech was devoted to overturning Macaulay’s legacy. PM Modi called for a 10-year national mission to restore pride in India’s heritage, languages, and knowledge systems.
I wish he had also recognized how Ramnath Goenka utilized English to advocate for Indian nationalism!” He concluded by describing the Prime Minister’s address as both an “economic outlook and a cultural call to action,” expressing his satisfaction at being in the audience despite dealing with a severe cold and cough.