Supreme Court Backs Urdu On Signboard: Says Language Belongs To People, Not Religion

In a significant ruling on Tuesday, the Supreme Court of India upheld the use of Urdu on a municipal council signboard in Patur, Akola district, Maharashtra. The Court made it clear that a language belongs to the people and to a region, and not to any religion.

According to a Hindustan Times (HT) report, the case was brought by Varshatai Sanjay Bagade, a former councillor of Patur. She argued that only Marathi should be used based on the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022. However, the Court firmly rejected her view, stating that there was no legal barrier to using Urdu alongside Marathi.

The bench, comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran, reminded the nation of the rich history of Urdu. They described it as "the finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb" - a phrase that represents the shared culture and harmony of northern and central India.

Justice Dhulia wrote, "Language is not religion. Language does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to a people; and not to a religion."

The Court further explained that Urdu is not foreign to India. It was born in this land and is widely spoken. In fact, the 2001 Census showed Urdu as the sixth most spoken scheduled language in India. It is used in nearly every state and union territory, except some in the Northeast.

The municipal council had already said Urdu had been used since 1956 and was well understood by locals. The Bombay High Court also dismissed Bagade's challenge in 2021 before the matter reached the Supreme Court.

This judgment is not just about a signboard-it is a reminder of India's rich linguistic diversity and the importance of communication over division.