Jaipur: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan is all set to replace Urdu words used in policing terminology with Hindi. The state police department has been tasked to collect information about such Urdu words and their possible replacement in Hindi.
The transition from Urdu to Hindi words is being done after Minister of State (MoS) Home Department, Jawahar Singh Bedham wrote a letter to Rajasthan deputy general of police (DGP) U.R. Sahoo in this regard, earlier this year.
“Words of Urdu, Farsi, Arbi (Arabic) started to be used since the Mughal era. During and after the Mughal era, the Urdu language continued to be spoken and was also taught in schools. But after independence, improvement and changes have taken place in the education policy,” MoS Bedham had told reporters in October this year.
Also read: Rajasthan Court Issues Notices Over Petition Claiming Shiva Temple Beneath Ajmer Dargah
‘New recruits in police force don’t know much about Urdu’
Bedham said that he had taken cognisance of the issue and written a letter to the DGP.
“At present, Hindi is in greater use and Sanskrit is used as a third language. Since Hindi is in use, new recruits and officers in the police force don’t know much about Urdu. I spoke with officials and they too said this should be changed. After a plan of action is presented, I will discuss with the chief minister and ensure that in police action, investigation and letters, shudh (pure) Hindi is used,” Bedham had said.
Thereafter, in a letter dated November 22 and written to the additional director general of police (ADG) training, DGP Sahoo has asked the former to collect information about Urdu words being used in police stations across the state.
The DGP’s letter to ADG training also mentions the letter written by Bedham to the police chief, about replacing Urdu phrases with Hindi words.
The letter written by Rajasthan DGP to ADG Training, with directions to collect information about Urdu words used in policing terminology and find their replacement in Hindi. Photo: Special Arrangement
“According to the desire of the state government, collect information about Urdu words used in police stations. What could be the Hindi words that can be used in place of Urdu words? All trainees should be informed about the new Hindi words. Urdu should be removed from training material. Information about new words should be given to all ongoing training,” reads the letter written by Rajasthan DGP Sahoo.
‘Nothing but a stunt,’ Congress questions BJP government’s decision
Officials said that each police range has sent letters to district superintendent of polices (SPs) to furnish information about such Urdu words.
“Words such as mukadma (case) or challan (chargesheet), mulzim (accused), mujrim (accused) or gavaa (witness) are all Urdu words. We have been asked to collect information about Urdu words and send it to the police headquarters,” a senior police official told The Wire on condition of anonymity.
At present, the language used for official work in the police department including registration and filing of FIRs, complaints, chargesheets and final reports are replete with Urdu and Farsi words such as thana haja (the concerned police station), taftish (investigation) and mushtgish (complainant).
The Opposition Congress has questioned the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government’s move to replace Urdu words with Hindi, terming it as a “stunt.” Chief minister Sharma holds the home portfolio.
Also read: ‘I Cannot Live’: Dalit Cop in Rajasthan Kills Self Over Alleged Harassment by Superiors, Journalist
“These words have been in use since a very long time. The government should at least held discussions with the legal fraternity and platforms such as bar councils. There should be a uniformity throughout the country. If this change is done in Rajasthan but the same words are in use in Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh what is the use of it? This is nothing but a stunt,” said Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi.
Last month, the BJP government in Rajasthan had renamed Hotel Khadim in Ajmer – operated by the state tourism department – as Hotel “Ajay Meru” following the instructions from assembly speaker Vasudev Devnani, who is an MLA from the district.