Urdu is language of India’s Independence: Asaduddin Owaisi

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader and MP Asaduddin Owaisi speaking at the 67th Foundation Day of the party in Darussalam, Hyderabad, on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Hyderabad

Criticising Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his controversial remarks about Urdu and him using a pejorative word, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said that the language is Constitutionally-protected, and played a key role in India’s freedom struggle.

Mr. Owaisi was speaking at the 67th Foundation Day of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen at the party headquarters at Darussalaam on Saturday, where he was flanked by party legislators, including Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi.

“The Chief Minister said that studying Urdu makes one a maulana like kathmullahs. They don’t become scientists. It is clear that the UP CM doesn’t know Urdu, but can only answer why he did not become a scientist,” Mr. Owaisi said.

The AIMIM president invoked Hindu poets and authors like Brij Narain Chakbast and freedom fighters such as Ram Prasad Bismil and Subhas Chandra Bose, who penned influential Urdu lines ‘sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab humaare dil mey hai’ and ‘Ittehad, Etemad, Qurbani’ respectively. He pointed out that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that all speeches in the House would be translated in all languages, including Urdu.

Mr. Owaisi underscored that celebrated Raghupati Sahay, popularly known as Firaq Gorakhpuri, was from Gorakhpur, and wrote extensively in Urdu.

“People from RSS and BJP do not know that Urdu has the protection of the Constitution. It is protected like other languages. The UP CM and PM Narendra Modi do not know that not all Muslims speak Urdu. In fact, it isn’t even the language of Muslims. It is the language of Independence of this country. It is the language of this country,” he said.

Mr. Owaisi batted for release of under-trial prisoners, who oppose the current ruling dispensation. He named Shifa-ur-Rahman, Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Umar Khalid, and Gulfishan Habib, among others, and hoped that they are given bail.

Touching upon the recent trend of making films based on historical figures, he dared that films be made on Pushpamitra Sangha, who Mr. Owaisi said had destroyed Buddhist places of worship.

“Mr. Modi promoted that movie. It was a good thing that he promoted it. He doesn’t promote the country. But tell me, if you love Sambhaji so much, then give the Marathas reservations. Why don’t you?” he asked, adding that during the elections, he had told the Marathas that he would support their fight for reservations. He pointed out that Shivaji’s Army general was a Muslim, as was his finance minister.

He said that a “good decision” would be taken in connection with the upcoming elections in Bihar. To field candidates in many seats would be akin to wasting energy and resources, he added.