“Urdu is not an alien language”: SC upholds use of Urdu on Maharashtra municipal signboard

1. The case began with a petition by Varshatai, a former member of the Municipal Council in Patur, Akola district, Maharashtra.
2. She objected to the use of Urdu alongside Marathi on the signboard of a newly built Municipal Council building.
3. She then filed a petition before the Bombay High Court, challenging the inclusion of Urdu on the signage.
4. The signboard displayed the words "Municipal Council, Patur" in both Marathi and Urdu.
5. The petitioner argued that using Urdu was wrong and violated the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022, which declares Marathi as the official language of the State.

Bombay High Court’s Ruling

1. The Bombay High Court dismissed the petition, upholding the use of Urdu on the signboard.
2. It clarified that the 2022 Act does not prohibit the use of Urdu or any other language.
3. The purpose of signage is to communicate clearly with the public, and using Urdu is justified in areas where people understand and speak Urdu.
4. The Court emphasized that the government must be inclusive, especially local bodies, which are the closest to the citizens.
5. Unhappy with the High Court's verdict, the petitioner then approached the Supreme Court, challenging the decision.

Supreme Court Ruling

1. The Supreme Court had to decide on three main questions:
   1. Does the use of Urdu on the signboard violate the Maharashtra government's language policy?
   2. Does it undermine the official status of Marathi?
   3. Does using Urdu have any religious or communal implications?
2. The Supreme Court rejected the appeal and upheld the Bombay High Court’s verdict.
3. The Court rejected the argument that Urdu is a religious or foreign language.
4. It declared that Urdu is an integral part of India’s composite culture and history.
5. The Court emphasized that language is a tool for communication, not a marker of religious identity.
6. It held that using Urdu on signage is justified in regions with a substantial Urdu-speaking population.
7. The Court underscored that language should be a uniting force, not a dividing one.
8. It affirmed that Urdu is not confined to any religion but is a cultural asset shared by many communities.
9. It hailed Urdu as part of the “Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb”, symbolizing India’s communal harmony.
10. The judgment noted that Urdu, like Hindi and Marathi, is an Indo-Aryan language developed on Indian soil.
11. The Court cited common legal terms of Urdu origin used across courts in India, such as:

1. Adalat (Court)
2. Halafnama (Affidavit)
3. Peshi (Hearing)
4. Vakalatnama (Power of Attorney)

Facts About Urdu and Indian Languages The first Urdu newspaper, Jam-i-Jahan-Numa, was published on March 27, 1822 from Kolkata by Harihar Dutta. Maulvi Muhammad Baqir (1780–1857), an Urdu journalist, was the first journalist to die for the nation. He ran Delhi Urdu Akhbar, later renamed Akhbar-us-Zafar during the 1857 Revolt. English and Hindi are the two official languages of the Central Government. Urdu is one of the 15 Indian languages printed on Indian currency notes. Urdu is an official language in states like Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, and West Bengal. In Punjab, old Revenue Department records are preserved in Urdu. As per the 2001 Census, India had 122 major languages and 234 mother tongues. Urdu was the 6th most spoken scheduled language in India in 2001. Urdu is spoken in almost every Indian state, except possibly in parts of the Northeast. The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists 22 official languages, including Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, etc. Article 343(1) declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union. It also prescribes the international form of Indian numerals for official use. Article 343(2) allowed English to be used for Union purposes for 15 years after the Constitution’s commencement. Article 343(3) empowered Parliament to extend the use of English and Devanagari numerals beyond the 15-year period.