Hyderabad: Students of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad have protested against recent remarks made by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly regarding the Urdu language.
The students emphasized that Adityanath’s comments should not be viewed in isolation, as they not only target the Urdu language but also the cultural and intellectual legacy of Muslims in India, which is deeply intertwined with Urdu.
They highlighted the significance of Urdu as an integral part of India’s linguistic and cultural heritage, particularly among Indian Muslims.
“Urdu is not just a language; it represents the intellectual, political, and cultural legacy of Muslims,” students said, underscoring that Adityanath’s remarks are not merely against a language but also against the rich cultural identity that Urdu embodies.
The students pointed out that Urdu has been the language of many luminaries, including Mahatma Gandhi, Premchand, and Chakbast. “This historical significance underscores the importance of Urdu in India’s cultural landscape,” they added.
Yogi Adityanath on February 18 targeted the Samajwadi Party for demanding the translation of Assembly proceedings into Urdu, suggesting that this would lead to children being taught to become “maulvis” and that it would push the country towards fanaticism.
The students at MANUU urged the university’s faculty and staff to condemn these remarks, emphasizing that MANUU is the only central university dedicated to Urdu and thus has a unique role in promoting and preserving the language.
On Tuesday, Yogi said his government wants to educate children to become “doctors, engineers and scientists”, not “mullas” or “maulvis” (religious clerics).
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