TCN Staff
Hundreds of students from Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) held a protest on Tuesday in response to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s recent alleged anti-Urdu in the state assembly.
The chief minister, in his speech in the House, allegedly referred to the advancement of Urdu education as “Kathmullapan”. In addition, he criticised the Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) for embracing Urdu, describing it as the party’s “appeasement” strategy.
“When the government wants to give other children the same opportunity, they (SP leaders) say, ‘Teach them Urdu’. They send their children to English-medium schools. These children are going to be made into maulvis,” said Adityanath, further stating, “They wish to drive the nation toward ‘kathmullapan’ (fanaticism).”
The chief minister’s statements were described by protesting MANUU’s students as “anti-Urdu” and “reflective of deeper prejudices”. They expressed their concerns about what they viewed as an assault on Urdu’s cultural and historical significance in India.
According to the demonstrators, the comments were aimed not just at a language, but also at the political, cultural and intellectual heritage of Muslims that is aptly represented in Urdu. The students argued that Urdu is more than just a language, it is a representation of India’s diversity and a symbol of its rich cultural history.
MANUU research scientist Talha Mannan said, “Yogi Adityanath’s anti-Urdu comments should not be viewed in isolation. It is an expression of long-standing anti-Muslim prejudice.”
He added while Urdu is an essential part of India’s linguistic and cultural legacy, it holds special significance for Muslims due to its extensive collection of religious and scholarly writings.
“Yogi’s comments go beyond the language, they also attack the political, cultural and intellectual heritage of Muslims that is deeply embedded in Urdu,” he said.
The outgoing president of the MANUU Students’ Union, Mateen Ashraf, discussed how Urdu has historically influenced India’s political and cultural landscape. “Mahatma Gandhi, Munshi Premchand, Chakbast and several other notable individuals spoke Urdu. It was essential to the fight for freedom. In addition to undermining and insulting this tradition, Yogi’s comments reflect a long-standing hostility toward an indigenous language,” he claimed.
The students emphasised that the issue went beyond political rhetoric and urged MANUU’s management and professors to oppose such claims.
They contended that MANUU had an obligation to preserve the honor and prestige of the language and highlight its historical contributions, as it is the only central university dedicated to Urdu.
The students called on educational institutions and civil society to oppose the demonisation of Urdu and advocated for a more inclusive and respectful approach to linguistic heritage.
Opposition leaders, including former UP Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, also sharply criticised Adityanath’s comments.
“Our chief minister doesn’t know anything about Urdu. He opposed Urdu simply because it is Urdu and often associated with Muslims. The truth is that Urdu is an Indian language originating from the region around Meerut,” he said.
“He uses Urdu in his normal speech, yet he is against it. He claimed that without Urdu, he could not even finish his budget address.”