Hindi-Urdu controversy
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In 1867, some Hindus in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh during the British Raj in India began to demand that Hindi should be made an official language in place of Urdu[1]. Communal violence broke out as the issue was taken up by firebrands. Sir Syed had once stated, "I look to both Hindus and Muslims with the same eyes & consider them as two eyes of a bride. By the word nation I only mean Hindus and Muslims and nothing else. We Hindus and Muslims live together under the same soil under the same government. Our interest and problems are common and therefore I consider the two factions as one nation." Speaking to Mr. Shakespeare, the governor of Banaras, after the language controversy heated up, he said "I am now convinced that the Hindus and Muslims could never become one nation as their religion and way of life was quite distinct from one and other."
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the foremost intellectual among the Indian Muslim population and probably the native Indian to whom the British lent the most credence, was greatly affected by the Hindi-Urdu Controversy. In a prescient moment, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan later said "now I am convinced that both these communities will not join whole heartedly in anything. At present there is no open hostility between the two communities but it will increase immensely in the future." Proponents of the creation of an Islamic republic called Pakistan often label Sir Syed one of the originators of the idea, based on this quote and others like it.
[edit] See also
- History of the Hindi language
- Hindustānī (Hindi-Urdu)
- Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
- Aligarh Muslim University
- Aligarh Movement
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] External links
- South Asia Analysis Group: Hindi-Urdu controversy
- The Milli Gazette: Hindi-Urdu controversy
- Hindi-Urdu controversy at Story of Pakistan website
- Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, from Nazariapak.info
- Mahatma Ghandi and Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu)
- A century of dedicated service: Anjuman Tarraqqi-i-Urdu, from Dawn Newspaper
For a detailed review of Urdu-Hindustani-Hindi controversy, see a 3-part detailed review:
- Part I, Rizwana Rahim. Urdu in India. Pakistan Link, 30 September 2005;
- Part-II, Pakistan Link,14 October 2005
- Part-III, Pakistan Link, 21 October 2005
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| History: | 1857 War of Independence - Hindi-Urdu controversy - Aligarh Movement - MAO College - Aligarh Muslim University - Pakistan movement |
| Pioneers: | Sir Syed - Mohsin-ul-Mulk - Viqar-ul-Mulk - Maulana Hali - Shibli Nomani - Hakim Ajmal Khan - more... |
| Alumni: | Ross Masood - Maulana Mohammad Ali - Liaquat Ali Khan - Khawaja Nazimuddin - Zakir Hussain - Abdur Rab Nishtar - Sheikh Abdullah - Ziauddin Ahmed - Maulana Shaukat Ali - Zafar Ali Khan - more... |
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