On Tuesday, the Supreme Court emphasized that language is a tool for sharing ideas and fostering unity among people with diverse beliefs, and should not be a source of division. The Court made this observation while dismissing a challenge to the use of Urdu on the signboard of the new Municipal Council building in Patur, Maharashtra.
The Supreme Court dismissed a petition by former Patur councillor Varshatai Sanjay Bagade challenging the use of Urdu on the Municipal Council's nameboard. The Council had earlier rejected her plea, noting Urdu's use since 1956 and its wide understanding locally. Her challenge was also dismissed by the Bombay High Court in 2021.
The Bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice K Vinod Chandran stated that there is no restriction on using languages listed in the VIIIth Schedule of the Constitution, such as Urdu and Marathi, which hold equal status. It emphasized that language is fundamentally a means of communication, and using a particular language by a community should not be condemned. The Court also clarified that the law allows the use of English when Marathi is insufficient to convey the message or if the recipient does not understand Marathi.
The judgment, authored by Justice Dhulia, said, “Coming to the present case, it must be stated that a Municipal Council is there to provide services to the local community of the area and cater to their immediate day-to-day needs. If people or a group of people, residing within the area covered by the Municipal Council are familiar with Urdu, then there should not be any objection if Urdu is used in addition to the official language i.e. Marathi, at least on the signboard of the Municipal Council. Language is a medium for exchange of ideas that brings people holding diverse views and beliefs closer and it should not become a cause of their division.”
“Our misconceptions, perhaps even our prejudices against a language have to be courageously and truthfully tested against the reality, which is this great diversity of our nation: Our strength can never be our weakness. Let us make friends with Urdu and every language.” the Court added.
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