Urdu is an Indian language, says Murli Manohar Joshi

Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi Photo Credit: PTI

Amid a growing debate over languages ​​in both politics and education, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD), Murli Manohar Joshi, on Thursday (July 2, 2026) said that Urdu is an Indian language and does not originate outside the country.

Mr. Joshi also appreciated the efforts made during the NDA government led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to encourage Indian Muslims to read the Quran in Urdu instead of Arabic.

“Even Bengali, the national language of Bangladesh, comes from the Indian subcontinent,” he added.

Mr Joshi was speaking on a program organized by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in the presence of Kanchi Shankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswati who announced the launch of ‘Sanjhiwalta’ campaign in Punjab to promote Hindu-Sikh unity.

Shankaracharya also announced the formation of a trust to carry out temple renovation and related activities in Punjab, noting that Hindus and Sikhs share a common spiritual heritage.

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The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is seeking to expand its presence in Punjab amid fears of alleged religious conversions. Proposals include restoring and maintaining temples, preserving historic places of worship, hosting larger religious events and promoting closer ties between Hindus and Sikhs. Sources said the discussions also covered demographic trends and measures to discourage religious conversions.

VHP president Alok Kumar said what he described as “cultural infiltration” was a long-standing challenge. He said the erosion of traditional practices should be addressed through religious and cultural institutions, not politics alone.

Published – 3 Jul 2026 07:52 IST