"Urdu is an indian language, not a foreign one": Former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi
New Delhi, July 2
Former Union Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi on Thursday asserted that Urdu is an Indian language and did not originate outside the country, while recalling the education reforms undertaken during the NDA government led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Addressing a public gathering, Joshi said, "Urdu is a language of our country; it did not come from outside."
He further said that during the Vajpayee government, the Centre wanted Muslims to read the Quran in Urdu instead of Arabic.
Reflecting on his tenure as Human Resource Development Minister, Joshi said earlier versions of Indian history contained several inaccuracies. He claimed that the Vedas had been wrongly interpreted as endorsing meat consumption and that the Aryans had incorrectly been described as migrants from outside India. He also said his ministry had presented evidence regarding the ancient Saraswati River.
Joshi also noted that both India's national anthem and Bangladesh's national anthem were written by Rabindranath Tagore. He described Sanatan Dharma as the world's oldest religion and said there is ultimately only one religion.
Referring to the village associated with Adi Shankaracharya, Joshi claimed that much of the land there is owned by Christians and urged Indian businesspersons to purchase land in the village.
Drawing a comparison with Mecca and Vatican City, he said the village of Shankaracharya should similarly preserve its religious character.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Joshi ji makes some good points about Urdu, but his comments about Shankaracharya's village and Christians owning land seem unnecessary. Why bring religion into every debate? We need unity, not division. 🤔
The point about reading Quran in Urdu is interesting. Many Indian Muslims already do this - it makes the holy book accessible. Language should never be a barrier to faith. Good initiative by the Vajpayee government.
As a foreigner living in India, I've always been amazed by the linguistic diversity here. Urdu is beautiful and clearly part of India's rich heritage. This debate about its origins seems politically motivated rather than factual.
While I agree Urdu is Indian, I wish our leaders would focus more on improving education quality rather than historical debates. The NDA government's past reforms were good, but we need to address current issues like unemployment and inflation too.
Joshi ji is right about the Aryan migration theory - it's been challenged by many archaeologists. And the Saraswati river evidence is solid. But linking everything to religion dilutes the scientific arguments. Let facts speak for themselves. 📚
Interesting perspective from a former minister. The point about Tagore writing both anthems is a nice touch - shows how culture transcends borders. But the comments about property ownership in religious villages could be divisive. India's strength is in its pluralism.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.