BENGALURU: Vice-president Hamid Ansari called for the protection of Urdu as a language and said it was the duty of every citizen to do so.
He was speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Urdu newspaper Daily Salar in the city on Monday.
“Urdu is a versatile language. In the country, Urdu is among the most widely spoken languages, with several thousands of readers. This is the same case in Karnataka as well, where Urdu is the most popular after Kannada. It is in this regard that the language needs to be protected. Since it has been recognised by the country, it needs to be respected and protected,” he said.
‘Everyone’s Duty’
“This is everyone’s duty (to save Urdu). In the past, the language was fast losing its prominence. However, it has been given a fillip in the last two decades due to the popularity of Hindi cinema,” he added.
He said, “The main objectives that every newspaper has in mind are that of circulation (its reach) and if the news published is authentic or not. This in itself is a commendable feat.”
“There is tremendous research work being done in Urdu all across the world, so much so that even the United States of America has researchers in the subject,” Ansari added.
‘Urdu is a National Language’
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that Urdu cannot be just confined to Muslims, as it is a ‘national language’.
“Urdu is a national language, and it cannot be confined to one community as such.”
“There are several eminent Muslim scholars of Hindu origin like Munshi Premchand, Rajendra Singh Bedi, Gopichand Narang and others, who write in Urdu. In the State too, there are many scholars. In future, the government will make an effort at recognising and felicitating an Urdu newspaper on the occasion of the Karnataka Rajyotsava,” Siddaramaiah said.
Governor Vajubhai Vala said, “I call for unity, as humanity in itself is a great religion.”