By Clarion India
NEW DELHI- The Rajasthan state’s Education Department has instructed Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion) in Jaipur to suspend Urdu classes and introduce Sanskrit as an alternative third language.
An official order issued on 10 February cites a directive from the office of Education Minister Madan Dilawar’s Special Assistant, Jai Narayan Meena. The order states, “The Minister has instructed the creation of posts for Sanskrit teachers and the discontinuation of Urdu classes. Therefore, the school must submit a proposal to include Sanskrit as the third language.”
According to a Times of India report, Satish Gupta, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Education Minister, justified the move by claiming that very few students opted for Urdu in the school. However, amid growing opposition from educators, the Minister’s Media Coordinator refuted the claims on Thursday, stating, “No such order has been issued under the Minister’s instructions.”
The decision has sparked outrage among Muslim leaders, Urdu scholars, and educators who view the move as an attack on the linguistic and cultural rights of the Urdu-speaking community.
Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a prominent Muslim intellectual, strongly condemned the decision, saying, “This is a deliberate attempt to erase Urdu, which is deeply rooted in India’s cultural and historical fabric. Such policies marginalise minority communities and violate the spirit of our Constitution.”
All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali expressed concern over the government’s intentions. He remarked, “Targeting Urdu is part of a broader agenda to push minorities to the margins. It is unacceptable and must be opposed firmly.”
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.
