Urdu Hindi conflict: BJP file petition in Jammu court to make Hindi as official language

After the abolition of the special constitutional status of Indian-administered Kashmir, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other like-minded organizations and individuals have begun their efforts to replaced ‘Urdu’ with ‘Hindi’.

A formal court and media trial has intensified its ‘propaganda campaign’ against ‘Urdu’, which has been the official language of Indian-administered Kashmir for 130 years.

Last week in the Kashmir High Court, a man named Madhav Arora, who allegedly has the backing of the BJP and other Hindu organizations, filed public interest litigation in which he demands making Hindi as an official language of Indian-administered Kashmir.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjay Dhar, after hearing the petitioner, issued notices to Commissioner-cum-Secretary, General Administrative Department (GAD); Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Principal Secretary, Home Department; and Financial Commissioner, Revenue Department, directing them to file a reply.

India is home to more than 19,500 languages, including 22 recognised in the country’s Constitution. Pushing for a common national tongue in India has been a contentious issue since the nation declared independence over 70 years ago.

According to estimates, it has spent INR484 million for the promotion of Hindi in world capitals and at the UN. The Foreign Ministry was tasked to make Hindi an official language of the UN.

A senior Indian official said that at the forthcoming UN General Assembly session, the Indian delegation will strive to convince members to adopt Hindi as an official language of the UN.

According to the UN procedures, getting Hindi accepted as an official language of the world body involves adopting a resolution endorsed by at least two-thirds of the members of the UN General Assembly. It also entails an additional expenditure to be borne by all UN member states.

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