Overview
- Setting a target through 2035, the prime minister urged a national pledge to overcome what he called a colonial-era mindset rooted in Macaulay’s 1835 education push.
- He argued that Macaulay’s policies weakened self-confidence and entrenched a belief in foreign models over indigenous systems, sidelining Gandhi’s swadeshi philosophy.
- Linking cultural pride to preservation and tourism, he said neglecting heritage leads to decay and lost economic potential.
- He stressed support for instruction in Indian languages under the National Education Policy and clarified that the government is not opposed to English.
- He criticized the Congress for sustaining a colonial outlook, as coverage also recalled Macaulay’s role in the English-medium education policy and in drafting the Indian Penal Code.