Rajasthan Govt Proposes Hindi-Only Use In Police Work, Sparks Urdu Language Row

The Rajasthan government has directed the police force to use Hindi instead of Urdu and Persian in police files, proceedings, and investigations. State Home Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham has written a letter to the Director General of Police in this regard and asked him to prepare a proposal for the same.

In his letter, Bedham stated that Rajasthan is a Hindi-speaking state, and therefore, Hindi words should be used in police proceedings instead of Persian and Urdu.

"Urdu and Persian words have been commonly used in police proceedings, investigations, files, and other official work since the Mughal period, as knowledge of these languages was mandatory for rulers and the institutions run by them at that time. However, in the present day, policemen do not study Urdu or Persian, and the 'national language' is Hindi," said the minister in his letter. He added that Urdu and Persian words are often misunderstood or misinterpreted, leading to delays in justice.

Bedham further stated that while all languages of the country are respected, Rajasthan is a Hindi-speaking state, and using Hindi will help citizens understand legal matters more easily and improve communication between the police and the public.

Reacting to the proposal, the Rajasthan Urdu Teachers Association said the state government is attempting to eliminate the Urdu and Persian languages.

“Urdu is not a foreign language but was born in India and is a commonly spoken language in the country. This move by the Home Minister is against the Constitution,” said State President of the Urdu Teachers Association, Amin Qayamkhani.

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