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Supreme Court Upholds Urdu Signage in Maharashtra, Affirms Linguistic Diversity

The court ruled that Urdu is a community-based language integral to India’s cultural heritage, dismissing claims of its exclusivity to religion.

The bias against Urdu showed its face during the framing of a Constitution for independent India, but the noble architects of that wonderful charter of governance adopted in 1950 did their best to nip it in the bud (HT Photo)

Overview

  • A Supreme Court bench led by Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K. Vinod Chandran dismissed a petition challenging Urdu signboards in Maharashtra under the 2022 Official Languages Act.
  • The ruling emphasized that language is a medium of communication tied to communities, not religion, countering misconceptions about Urdu being solely a 'Muslim' language.
  • Urdu was affirmed as an Indo-Aryan language born in India, symbolizing the Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb and reflecting India's multilingual ethos.
  • The court highlighted that bilingual signage, including Urdu, serves practical communication needs for local communities, ensuring inclusivity.
  • Citing census data, the judgment underscored India’s linguistic diversity, with Urdu being the sixth most spoken scheduled language, and called for its preservation through proactive policies.