HYDERABAD: In the wake of Dr BR Ambedkar Open University’s (BRAOU) recent step to drop Urdu Medium from undergraduate courses, organisations like Hyderabad Deccan Democratic Alliances and Voice of Telangana held a meet to assert the need to preserve Urdu on Monday.
Chiranjeevi Kolluri, the president of Hyderabad Deccan Democratic Alliances said, “Urdu is an Indian language and state official language, but it is not given its due. This Deccan area is where Urdu was born and we shall not accept deleting Urdu Medium from BRAOU. Urdu is simple and beautiful language pervading all our lives across India with international recognition.”
Seconding his argument, Capt Panduranga Reddy, president of Voice of Telangana, said, “I throw a challenge to the Government of Telangana and BRAOU that Dr Kolluri and I will design and prepare the entire course material for arts and sciences and give the translated Urdu versions to Government of Telangana for free.”
Reddy highlighted how Ronnanki Gopalakrishnan from Srikakulam who graduated and wrote the exam in Telugu medium had secured the third rank in civil services. “Similarly, these students from lower economic strata who want to study graduation in Urdu medium cannot be deprived of graduating in Urdu medium and taking civil services examination in their own language.”
He also went on to question the government if the move by BRAOU a conspiracy to contain a certain section of society from becoming graduates so that they can never enter civil services. City activist Lubna Saewath, who was also there at the meet to assert the rights of a few students affected by the varsity’s decision, said move taken by BRAOU to scrap course in Urdu medium is unconstitutional.
“I, along with the students have already made a representation to BRAOU vice-chancellor demanding that the course should be started again. If the students’ demands are not fulfilled, we will approach the courts to seek justice,” said Sarwath.