HINDI-URDU CONTROVERSY
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Urdu was nearly 300 years ago considered the
language of the Muslims in the sub-continent from the early times. The synthesis
of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish produced a new language known as Hindustani,
Shahjahan, and, finally, Urdu. With the infusion of other languages, it was
also called Lashkari. Gradually, the now-language of Urdu became the medium of
expression for the other sub-continent. They adopted this language for the
expression of their social, cultural, and regional feelings. Urdu passed
through stages of development and became the symbol of Muslim unity and
culture. The Muslim and Hindu writers worked a lot for the development of Urdu.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan also rendered valuable services for the development and
protection of Urdu. The Muslims, therefore, developed an emotional attachment
to Urdu, which had attained the status of their national language.
The Hindus, for their eternal jealousy and
hatred toward the Muslims and their culture, did not like the repid progress of
Urdu. Urdu was established as the official language of the sub-continent in
1825, which aroused Hindu hostility against this language. The British, too,
were not in favor of any measure that was intended to promote Muslim cultural
values in the sub-continent. In order to please the Hindus, the British rulers
began to oppose Urdu to eliminate the influence of Muslim culture.
The Urdu-Hindi controversy began in 1867 when
Hindus demonstrated against Urdu and demanded its replacement with Hindi as an
official language. Some prominent Hindu leaders organized an agitation against
the use of Urdu as the official language and demanded that Hindi written in
Davangri script be introduced in the offices and courts as the official
language. Sir Syed Ahmed was extremely disappointed to see the Hindus behaving
in such a prejudicial manner. He was now convinced that the Hindus would never
be friendly with the Muslims.
