By TCN News,
Hyderabad: “The credit for the establishment of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad goes to ex-HRD Minister Mr. Arjun Singh who had shown his extreme interest in the university while some famous Urdu scholars had openly opposed the decision of establishment of Urdu University” said Dr. Aziz Qureshi, former Member of Parliament.
Dr. Aziz Quraishi delivering Foundation Day Lecture of MANUU at DDE auditorium Prof. K.R. Iqbal Ahmed, Mr. C.M. Eshwariah, Prof. S.A. Wahab & Mr. Abid Abdul Wasay also seen
He was delivering speech on ‘Urdu University: Khab Se Haqiqat Tak’ on the occasion of 13th foundation day of MANUU on 8th January at the university campus in Hyderabad.
Mr. Qureshi, who was president of the committee constituted by central government in September 1992 which recommended to establish the Urdu University, informed the audience about the difficulties that came in the way of the establishment of the University.
He highly praised former HRD Minister and veteran Congress leader Arjun Singh and said that if he had not taken interest, MANUU would not have come into existence because communal elements had also strongly opposed the idea along with some Muslim leaders and even some members of the committee who were not in favor of the university.
He said that narrow-minded people strongly opposed the foundation of Urdu University and termed it as foundation of new Pakistan. “Some educationists said at that time that Urdu became a dead language so, to consider about establishment of Urdu University is wasting of time and also students learning Urdu will not see their good futures” he recalled.
He also appreciated then Andhra Pradesh government for fully cooperating with the committee regarding establishment of MANUU in Hyderabad and fulfilling the requirement about the University.
Dr. Aziz Quraishi delivering Foundation Day Lecture of MANUU at DDE auditorium
“During these 13 years MANUU has proved how important was its establishment by producing a number of successful scholars, scientists, educationists and thinkers as well as doing wonderful job of publishing books. But we are not satisfied until Urdu students get jobs easily in all sectors as others” he expressed.
“Since independence Urdu has always been facing discrimination in the country. Despite of its richness and sweetness, Urdu became stranger. One of the English Judges had said that after English if any language had power for running any government it was only Urdu” he said.
He urged Urdu speakers to come forward for betterment of Urdu instead of depending on government, only then problems of the language can be solved.
MANU was established in January 1998 in Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh following the recommendation by central government committee headed by Dr. Aziz Qureshi.