Not alien to India, finest specimen of Hindustani culture: SC upholds Urdu signage in Maharashtra
New Delhi: The Supreme Court recently upheld the use of Urdu on a municipal signboard in Maharashtra’s Akola district, rejecting a plea challenging its use. The court emphasised that language is an integral part of culture and should not be used as a divisive tool. Urdu, the court stated, represents the "finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, or the Hindustani tehzeeb".
The bench, comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K. Vinod Chandran, disagreed with the petitioner's view, asserting that Urdu is not “alien to India.” The court pointed out that Urdu was born and evolved in India, primarily to serve as a common means of communication among people from diverse cultural backgrounds. "Urdu developed and flourished in India due to the need of people belonging to different cultural milieus who wanted to exchange ideas and communicate amongst themselves,” the bench remarked.
The court dismissed a petition by former councillor Varshatai Sanjay Bagade, who had challenged the use of Urdu on a signboard of the new building of the Patur Municipal Council. “The purpose here for the use of Urdu is merely communication. All the municipal council wanted to do was to make an effective communication. This is the primary purpose of a language, which the Bombay High Court has laid emphasis on,” the court noted.
The court further underscored the deep-rooted presence of Urdu in Indian legal parlance, noting its significant influence on both criminal and civil law. Terms like adalat, halafnama, and peshi are commonly used in Indian courts. "Even though the official language of the Supreme Court and the High Courts, as per Article 348 of the Constitution, is English, many Urdu words continue to be used in this Court to date," the bench pointed out.
The court also highlighted that many Indian states and Union Territories have adopted Urdu as a second official language. It warned against criticising Urdu, noting that such criticism often reflects a broader misunderstanding of linguistic unity. "When we criticise Urdu, we are in a way also criticising Hindi, as linguists and literary scholars assert that Urdu and Hindi are not two languages, but one language," the bench stated.
“Hindi and Urdu met a roadblock in the form of the puritans on both sides and Hindi became more Sanskritised and Urdu more Persian. A schism exploited by the colonial powers in dividing the two languages on religion. Hindi was now understood to be the language of Hindus and Urdu of the Muslims, which is such a pitiable digression from reality; from unity in diversity; and the concept of universal brotherhood,” it said.
The court concluded by reaffirming that language should be seen as a bridge for communication, bringing people from varied backgrounds closer together. It emphasised that language should never be used as a tool for division but rather as a medium to foster diverse views and unity.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
