What's Your Problem with Urdu?

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 14 August 2024 Hindus Are Redefining Themselves As Sanatanis, Some Deluded Muslim 'Thinkers' Are Laboriously Explaining The Words Kafir And Jihad In The Quran, Sikhs Are Fussing Over Jhatka, Halal And Tobacco Intake. It's Indeed A Weird World Populated By All Hard-Core Religionists. ------ The Supreme Court on Tuesday, August 13, took exception to a petition seeking removal of an Urdu signboard of Patur Municipal Council [Varshatai vs State of Maharashtra and ors]. The signboard displayed the civic body's name in Urdu along with Marathi. [Image source: Social Media Platform X.] ----- A Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah pointed out that Urdu is one of the languages in the eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution and one should not have problems with Urdu in signboards, particularly in areas where the same is among the languages spoken. "What is your problem with Urdu? Understand this - it is an Eight Schedule language. The municipal body did not impose it on the whole State; maybe in that region only that particular language is understood." Hats off to the judges for taking exception to a useless petition seeking the removal of an Urdu signboard. While I'm not doubting the integrity of the judges at the Apex Court, I wonder what would have been the verdict had both the judges been Hindus. Since we're becoming so communal and hidebound, these lurking doubts aren't unfounded. That said, why is Urdu an anathema to Sanatanis and hard-core neo-Hindus? I don't want to repeat the same threadbare stuff that innumerable non-Muslims enriched Urdu language and literature. All educated people know that. My point is: Why should you treat a language so pejoratively? My legendary Urdu professor in England, Ralph Russell, would always say, " Urdu is the culmination of Hindi which is written from right to left. "Marathis, who're against Urdu, should know that their Marathi became a language thanks to Persian. Their icon Shivaji spoke impeccable Persian. Urdu is an amalgam of Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Sanskrit and a host of Indian tongues. Dovetailing it to Muslims is rank idiocy. Much more than linguistic chauvinism, I call it linguistic fascism. It seems as if the people of India don't have anything worthwhile to do. At the moment, we seem to be indulging only in religion and its associated silly issues. Hindus are redefining themselves as Sanatanis, some deluded Muslim 'thinkers' are laboriously explaining the words Kafir and Jihad in the Quran, Sikhs are fussing over Jhatka, halal and tobacco intake. It's indeed a weird world populated by all hard-core religionists. No one seems to be interested in the betterment of mankind. No one is bothered about life's fundamental issues. All are neck-deep in bizarre esoteric beliefs, tenets and religious mumbo-jumbo. People are losing their sleep over a mere signboard in Urdu. Yet the irony is, we call ourselves evolved! ------ A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/problem-urdu/d/132932 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism