Urdu is India’s language, not specific to a community, AIMIM leader’s riposte to Yogi Adityanath
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD — Urdu is the country’s language and not specific to only Muslims, Lok Sabha MP and All India Majlis-e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi has said. The Urdu language is also duly recognised by the Indian Constitution, he said.
Owaisi was speaking at an event here on Saturday to mark his party’s foundation day.
Addressing the gathering at the party’s headquarters in Darussalam here, Owaisi said the Urdu language is embedded in the country’s freedom struggle, media reports said. He quoted a few couplets by freedom fighters including Ram Prasad Bismil and Bhagat Singh.
Owaisi also slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his recent statement on education focussing on the Urdu language.
Known for making anti-Muslim and Islamophobic rhetoric, Adityanath, raked up a controversy earlier this month (February 18) criticising the Samajwadi Party for advocating the preservation and promotion of the Urdu language. He accused them of wanting to make children ‘maulvis’ and promoting ‘kathmulla-pan’ (orthodoxy).
Speaking in the state assembly, Adityanath said his government wants children to embrace modern education and become doctors and engineers and not ‘mullahs.’
“The double-engine government is ensuring modern education for all children without any discrimination. ‘Kathmullapan ki sanskriti nahi chalegi’ (the culture of religious extremism will not be tolerated),” Adityanath said.
Strongly reacting to Adityanath’s anti-Urdu remarks, Owaisi said: “We know who your ancestors were and what language you speak. Have you or any of your ancestors become doctors?” he asked.
The AIMIM leader also questioned if Adityanath will fight with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla who had recently said that all speeches made in the Lower House would be translated into Urdu.
