Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) figure Murli Manohar Joshi told a gathering in New Delhi that Urdu, the language of the Quran, is “an Indian language” and praised the Vajpayee‑led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for encouraging Indian Muslims to read the holy text in Urdu rather than Arabic.
Joshi’s remarks came during a cultural event organized by the BJP’s minority outreach wing on Monday. He said the government’s past initiatives had helped “bring the Quran closer to the hearts of Indian Muslims” by promoting Urdu, which he described as “our mother tongue and a part of our heritage.”
The senior minister added that the policy was intended to foster “national integration” and “cultural harmony” by allowing Muslims to engage with their scripture in a language that is widely spoken in India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and parts of the Deccan. He referenced the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s support for Urdu literature and institutions, noting that the NDA had funded Urdu colleges and publishing houses during its 1998‑2004 tenure.
Opposition parties and some Muslim scholars questioned the framing of the comment, arguing that the Quran’s original Arabic text is central to Islamic practice and that promoting Urdu could be seen as a political move to reshape religious discourse. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) issued a statement urging the government to respect the linguistic preferences of the Muslim community without imposing a particular language.
The Ministry of Culture declined to comment on Joshi’s specific statements but reiterated its ongoing support for “the promotion of India’s diverse linguistic heritage, including Urdu.”
Analysis: Joshi’s comments highlight the BJP’s broader strategy of cultural outreach to India’s Muslim minority, aligning language policy with its narrative of a unified Indian identity. By invoking the Vajpayee era, the party seeks to portray a continuity of support for Urdu, a language historically linked to both Hindu and Muslim literary traditions. Critics argue that the emphasis on Urdu over Arabic may be symbolic rather than substantive, given that religious education in India largely continues to use Arabic for Quranic study. The political calculus appears aimed at countering narratives that the BJP marginalizes Muslim cultural practices, while also reinforcing a vision of “Indian-ness” that includes Urdu as a shared heritage.
Sources:
– “Urdu is an Indian language, says Murli Manohar Joshi,” The Hindu, 26 April 2024, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/urdu-is-an-indian-language-says-murli-manohar-joshi/article71177152.ece
Story synopsis gathered from: The Hindu – National — source
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