Urdu : An Indian Language
On the 28th of September, Panjab University proposed a move that would merge the department of Urdu with foreign languages. This news spread like fire and generated reactions quickly from major personalities of the political and literary world. Hyderabad MP and Chief of AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi was the first to react followed by Kumar Vishwas.
This move is considered another episode of language politics of which Urdu has become a victim after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. Though PU might consider it as a normal merge but it should remember that it is Urdu that gave the state its name i.e. Punj (5) + Ab( water) = Punjab which means the land of five rivers. Apart from this many great poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Allama Iqbal, Sahir Ludhianvi and even Gulzar all belonged to Punjab. Even Bhagat Singh the freedom fighter whom the state considers its role model, raised Urdu slogan Inquilab Zindabad when he was sentenced to death.
Urdu is believed to be nurtured by Amir Khusro by adding Khari boli and Persian together. Called Rekhta in the beginning urdu gained importance in the 17th century and by the end of 18th century, it was the most prominent language of India. In the north, it was considered to be developed in the Mughal Capital of Shahjahanabad where it was termed as Zabaan E Urdu E Mohalla E Shahjahanabad. In Shahjahanabad which is today Old Delhi many big poets such as Ghalib, Mir and Momin etc played a decisive role in the development of Urdu. While in Deccan it was Wali Dakhni who is considered as Bani-e-Urdu (father of urdu). All these facts are enough to make the point that Urdu is an Indian language just like Hindi, Bengali and Tamil etc.
Surprised to learn that @OfficialPU has proposed to make the Urdu Department part of the ‘School of Foreign Languages’. Urdu is an Indian language, like all the great languages of our country. Will speak to the Vice Chancellor & Senators to review this decision immediately.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 29, 2019
The social media protest which followed after the move of Panjab University gained so much importance that today the state’s chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh himself came to solve the matter and has assured in a tweet that he will personally speak to the VC of the varsity. Given the assurance by state chief, it can be believed that at least in Punjab Urdu will not be considered a foreign language anymore but in the whole country there is still more to do to save the dying language as Urdu which once fought bravely against the colonials and helped India in gaining independence is now on brink of extinction in its own country.
By Mohammad Romaan
