The Rajasthan government has announced a major administrative shift, instructing the state police to discontinue the use of Urdu and Persian in all official documents, proceedings, and investigations, and instead adopt Hindi exclusively. The directive came from State Home Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham, who communicated the order to the Director General of Police and requested a formal proposal to implement the change.
Bedham justified the move by stating that Rajasthan is a Hindi-speaking state and the use of Urdu and Persian in police documentation is a vestige of the Mughal era, when these languages were central to governance. In today’s context, he argued, most police personnel lack proficiency in Urdu or Persian, while Hindi—referred to in his letter as the "national language"—is widely understood and used. He claimed that the continued reliance on Urdu and Persian terms often causes confusion or delays in legal processes, hindering the delivery of justice. According to the minister, using Hindi would make legal proceedings more transparent and improve communication between law enforcement and the public.
The directive, however, has stirred controversy. Language advocates have criticized the move as an attack on India’s linguistic diversity. The Rajasthan Urdu Teachers Association strongly opposed the decision, with its president, Amin Qayamkhani, asserting that Urdu is not a foreign language but one that originated in India and is spoken by millions across the country. He labeled the directive as unconstitutional and accused the government of attempting to erase Urdu and Persian from official domains.
This development underscores the broader national debate surrounding language policy, administrative reforms, and cultural representation. While the government presents the change as a step toward improving accessibility and efficiency, critics warn it may set a precedent for sidelining minority languages and diminishing India’s rich linguistic heritage.