Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nothing in Linux is "here to stay", it always has to demonstrate its worth, and what it's worth is depends enirely on the technology and its developers, not Linus.
Perhaps C is here to stay and that is the way Linux should live and naturally die. That's what's being proposed here by the guy who opposes multi-language projects.
There have been UNIX systems implemented, Pascal, Ada, Modula-2, Modula-3, as the most relevant ones.
All gone.
Also note that POSIX/UNIX certification requires a C compiler presence.