Urdu: Will It Get Its Due Ever?

Supreme Court's intervention in a signage language dispute reaffirmed Urdu's Indian roots, rejecting its religious branding and celebrating linguistic diversity, writes Asad Mirza

- Asad Mirza

A Supreme Court bench of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K Vinod Chandran while hearing a petition by Varshatai Sanjay Bagade, a former councillor of Patur in Maharashtra's Akola district rejected a challenge to the use of Urdu on the signboard of a Municipality in Maharashtra.

Bagade had challenged the use of Urdu, along with Marathi, on the name board of the municipal council. She had argued that the work of the Municipal Council can only be conducted in Marathi, and the use of Urdu is impermissible, even on the signboard.

In its observations the two judges referred to many oft repeated sentiments regarding the Urdu language.

The honourable judges while taking an extract from a Nazm by poet Iqbal Ashhar, noted that if Urdu was to speak for herself, she would say:

urdu hai mir? naam, main 'Khusrav' k? pahel?

kyuun mujh ko ban?te ho ta.assub k? nish?na

main ne to kabh? ?hud ko musalm? nah?n maan?

dekh? th? kabh? main ne bh? ?hushiyon k? zam?na

apne h? vatan men huun magar aaj akel?, urdu hai mir? naam main 'Khusrav' k? pahel?

(Urdu is my name, I am the riddle of 'Khusro' Do not hold me for your prejudices I never considered myself a Muslim I too have seen happier times I feel like an outsider in my homeland today Urdu is my name, I am the riddle of 'Khusro')

The learned judges further rightly commented that any language can't be described as a religion and to consider Urdu as a language of Muslims is a "pitiable digression" from reality and unity in diversity of India.