Amid rising Intolerance in India, Hindutva groups protest Urdu nameplate in Maharashtra
Malegaon,: A dispute over an Urdu nameplate installed on the Malegaon Municipal Corporation building in Maharashtra has triggered protests by a right-wing Hindu organisation, once again exposing the growing linguistic intolerance and communal polarisation in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the protest was organised by Sakal Hindu Samaj under the banner of Jan Aakrosh Morcha. Demonstrators marched through the city demanding the immediate removal of the Urdu nameplate from the civic building, which has also been named “Bharat Ratna Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Bhavan” in honour of India’s first Education Minister.
During the protest, Sakal Hindu Samaj leader Harsha Thakur raised objectionable slogans and questioned the presence of Urdu on a government building. “I have never seen a government nameplate written in Urdu before. Is Malegaon Pakistan? There is no provision in the Constitution for writing in Urdu,” he said.
The remarks drew sharp criticism online, with many pointing out that Urdu is listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and enjoys official recognition in several states.
Malegaon has a significant Urdu-speaking population.
Residents and supporters of the bilingual signboard argue that displaying information in both Hindi and Urdu promotes inclusion and ensures government services remain accessible to all citizens.
The controversy has revived debate over linguistic rights and constitutional provisions, with critics accusing right-wing groups of deliberately targeting Urdu and Muslim cultural symbols as part of a larger campaign of intolerance and cultural erasure in India.
