Hindi words in English Bills an affront to non-Hindi speakers: Chidambaram

The Congress leader highlighted that the practice was to write the title of the Bill in English words in the English version and in Hindi words in the Hindi version

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has criticised the government's move to use Hindi words as the title of Bills, noting that it is an "affront to non-Hindi speaking people". The former Union minister's comments followed the introduction of Bills with Hindi titles in the Winter Session of Parliament.

 

In an X post on Monday, he said, "I am opposed to the increasing practice of the government using Hindi words written in English letters in the title of the Bills to be introduced in Parliament."

 

Highlighting that the practice was to write the title of the Bill in English words in the English version and in Hindi words in the Hindi version, Chidambaram questioned, "When no one pointed out any difficulty in the 75-year practice, why should the government make a change?"

 

'Offence to non-Hindi speaking states'

Chidambaram said such moves by the government create problems for states whose official language is not Hindi. "This change is an affront to non-Hindi-speaking people and to states that have an official language other than Hindi. Non-Hindi speaking people cannot identify a Bill/Act with titles that are in Hindi words written in English letters, nor can they pronounce the title of the Bill/Act," he said.

 

The Congress leader further said that successive governments have reiterated the promise that English will remain an associate official language. "I fear that promise is in danger of being broken," he said.

Introduction of Bills with Hindi titles

On Monday, the government introduced the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill in Parliament that proposes the creation of a single regulator for higher education, replacing existing bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

 

Minister of State of Science & Technology Jitendra Singh on Monday introduced the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 (SHANTI Bill) in Parliament. It aims to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 and open India's highly restricted nuclear power sector to the private sector.

 

The government may also table the Viksit Bharat—Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB—G RAM G Bill, 2025, during the Winter Session. The draft Bill seeks to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and change the funding pattern.

 

Earlier, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, was introduced by the Commerce and Industry in the Monsoon Session, aimed at decriminalising a range of offences across sectors such as municipal governance, motor vehicle regulation, commodity boards, apprenticeships, and export-related activities.

 

In March this year, the government replaced the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023, respectively.