In a landmark ruling, the Indian Supreme Court has upheld the use of Urdu on the signboard of a municipal council building in Maharashtra, reaffirming the role of language in promoting unity and cultural richness.
The decision came in response to a petition filed by a former councillor challenging the presence of Urdu on the signboard of the Patur Municipal Council in Akola district. Dismissing the petition, the court ruled that the use of Urdu is in full compliance with the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022, and does not violate any laws, according to The Indian Express.
Delivering the judgment, Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran emphasized that “language is culture” and should serve as a bridge rather than a barrier. They praised Urdu as a vibrant thread in the fabric of Ganga-Jamuni and Hindustani cultures, stating that linguistic diversity is India’s strength, not its weakness.
Justice Dhulia, in his written remarks, called for a reassessment of societal biases toward language. He argued against the notion that Urdu is foreign, stating unequivocally that it is a language born in India, developed as a medium of communication among diverse communities.
“Let us make friends with Urdu—and with every language,” he wrote. “Language is not religion. Language does not represent religion. It belongs to a community, a region, a people—not a faith.”
The court also stressed that the primary function of language is communication, and that the municipal council’s use of Urdu served that exact purpose—to effectively reach and serve its local population.
Referencing India’s linguistic diversity, the judgment cited 2001 census data, which identified 122 major languages and 234 mother tongues, with Urdu ranked as the sixth most spoken scheduled language across the country. The 2011 Census expanded this number to 270 mother tongues with at least 10,000 speakers, though the actual figure is likely far higher.
Addressing historical misconceptions, the court clarified that Urdu, like Hindi and Marathi, is an Indo-Aryan language developed within the subcontinent, arising from centuries of interaction and cultural exchange.
This ruling not only protects the presence of Urdu in public life but also sends a broader message advocating for inclusivity, cultural harmony, and linguistic plurality in a diverse nation like India.
