The Supreme Court has described Urdu as the finest example of 'Ganga Jamuni tahzeeb' (composite cultural ethos) and emphasised that considering it as a language only for Muslims is a "pitiable digression" from the concept of unity in diversity.
In the Indian context, especially when referring to "Ganga-Jamuni tahzeeb", it implies a composite culture that evolved in the Indo-Gangetic plains, particularly in northern India, symbolising Hindu-Muslim unity, mutual respect, syncretism, and shared traditions in art, language, music, and everyday life.
Dismissing a plea challenging the use of Urdu on a municipal signboard in Maharashtra, a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran on Tuesday remarked that "language is not religion."
"Language is culture. Language is the yardstick to measure the civilisational march of a community and its people. So is the case of Urdu, which is the finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tahzeeb, or the Hindustani tahzeeb, which is the composite cultural ethos of the plains of northern and central India... We must respect and rejoice in our diversity, including our many languages," the bench said.
The court was hearing an appeal filed by Varshatai, a former councillor of Patur in Maharashtra’s Akola district. She had challenged the use of Urdu, alongside Marathi, on the nameboard of the municipal council. According to her, the work of the municipal council should only be conducted in Marathi, and the use of Urdu, even on a signboard, was impermissible.
The bench observed that the municipal council had retained Urdu on the nameboard because many local residents understood the language.
"All the municipal council wanted to do was to make effective communication," it said.
The court pointed out that the prejudice against Urdu stems from the misconception that it is foreign to India. This, the court stressed, is incorrect, as Urdu, like Marathi and Hindi, is an Indo-Aryan language. "Urdu is a language which was born in this land," the judges added.
Urdu, the court noted, developed and flourished in India because people from different cultural backgrounds wanted to exchange ideas and communicate with each other. "Over the centuries, it attained ever greater refinement and became the language of choice for many acclaimed poets," the bench observed.
The court also stated that the language used by the masses is inherently enriched with Urdu, even if one is unaware of it. "It would not be incorrect to say that one cannot have a day-to-day conversation in Hindi without using words of Urdu or words derived from Urdu. The word 'Hindi' itself comes from the Persian word 'Hindavi'," the bench said.
The court further observed that the fusion of Hindi and Urdu had been impeded by purists on both sides, resulting in Hindi becoming more Sanskritised and Urdu more Persianised. "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 highlighted that a municipal council provides services to the local community and caters to their immediate day-to-day needs.
"If people or a group of people, residing within the area covered by the Municipal Council are familiar with Urdu, then there should not be any objection if Urdu is used in addition to the official language i.e. Marathi, at least on the signboard of the Municipal Council. Language is a medium for the exchange of ideas that brings people holding diverse views and beliefs closer and it should not become a cause of their division," the court added.
The Supreme Court concluded by asserting that misconceptions and prejudices against a language must be truthfully tested against reality.
"Our strength can never be our weakness. Let us make friends with Urdu and every language..." the bench said.
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