Azmi demands display of signboards in Urdu

Mumbai, Aug 2 (UNI) After Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's insistence on display of signboards in Marathi, it is now Samajwadi Party state president and MP Abu Asim Azmi's turn to make such a demand -- show signboards in Urdu, albeit voluntarily.

After inaugurating the Urdu signboard of Maulana Mohammed Ali Johar chowk at Behndi Bazaar in south Mumbai, Mr Azmi said Urdu has been bestowed status of national language by the constitution and hence needs to be promoted.

He said in the Muslim-dominated areas, people should put up boards in Urdu. However, he said it should be voluntary.

Asked whether he was making such a demand taking a cue from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who repeatedly demanded on display of signboards in Marathi, Mr Azmi said his demand had nothing to do with MNS.

''What I am doing is purely for the promotion of Urdu langauge, and every Friday I will visit a minority-dominated area and display a signboard of a street in Urdu,'' he said.

The SP leader also asked the state government to raise the grant of Urdu academy, saying the current annual grant of Rs seven lakh is less as compared to Rs 15 lakh during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule.

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