Supreme Court: Urdu, Marathi Are Languages — Not Symbols of Religion

The Supreme Court has rejected a petition opposing the use of Urdu on public signboards, asserting that Urdu and Marathi are languages and should not be viewed through a religious lens.

The petitioner claimed that including Urdu on signboards promoted a particular religion. In response, the Court clarified that languages serve as tools of communication and cultural heritage, not as markers of religious identity. The bench firmly stated that associating a language with a religion is incorrect and such perceptions must not dictate administrative decisions.

This ruling reinforces India’s commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity, and upholds the principle that governance should remain free from religious interpretations of language use.