At a time when language often becomes a flashpoint for identity politics, the Supreme Court of India has delivered a resounding message—language should unite, not divide. Upholding the use of Urdu alongside Marathi on a signboard in Maharashtra’s Patur municipal council, the apex court emphasized that India’s linguistic richness must be celebrated, not politicised.
A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran observed that Urdu, like Hindi and Marathi, is a native Indian language with deep historical and cultural roots. “The belief that Urdu is foreign to India is a grave misconception,” the court stated, noting its Indo-Aryan origins and its evolution as a bridge language among diverse communities. It added that this language of poets is an essential symbol of India’s syncretic heritage, famously known as Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.
The judges decried attempts to link language with religion, calling it a colonial-era manipulation still casting shadows today. “Language is not religion. It is a reflection of culture, a mirror of civilisation,” they said, criticizing the false binary of Hindi as Hindu and Urdu as Muslim.
The court also pointed out how modern spoken Hindi seamlessly incorporates Urdu vocabulary, revealing their shared roots. “Even the word ‘Hindi’ stems from Persian ‘Hindavi’,” it noted.
In conclusion, the court encouraged inclusion and mutual respect, stating that if a section of the population in Patur reads Urdu, its presence on public boards is both logical and respectful.
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