O HINDUSTAN DESK
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government’s decision to replace Urdu with Sanskrit as the third language in some government schools, coupled with a minister’s remarks about alleged fake degrees among Urdu teachers, has ignited a political row in the BJP-ruled state.
Recently, the state’s education department issued an order directing Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion) in Jaipur to suspend Urdu classes and instead offer the language as an optional subject. A similar directive was later sent to a government senior secondary school in Bikaner, replacing Urdu with Sanskrit.
As opposition to these decisions grew, a fresh controversy erupted on Monday following remarks by Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham. In a widely circulated video from an event in Bharatpur, Bedham claimed that many Urdu teachers in Rajasthan had secured jobs using fake degrees.
“The previous (Congress) government removed Sanskrit teachers and replaced them with Urdu teachers. Now, we don’t know Urdu, and no one even studies it. That’s why we will discontinue Urdu teachers’ posts and provide the kind of education people want,” he stated.
The Rajasthan Urdu Teachers’ Association strongly condemned Bedham’s remarks, calling them baseless and irresponsible.
“It is unfair to brand Urdu teachers as fake without any investigation. Moreover, the claim that the previous Congress government replaced Sanskrit teachers with Urdu teachers is untrue,” said association president Amin Kayamkhani.
Meanwhile, School Education Minister Madan Dilawar was unavailable for comment. However, Board of Secondary Education Director Ashish Modi clarified that the decision was not a blanket order for all schools.
“In Napasar, Bikaner, only one student was studying Urdu as a third language in a government school. That’s why it was discontinued there,” Modi explained.
The order to suspend Urdu classes at Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion), Jaipur, was issued by the district education officer under directions from Dilawar’s special assistant.
“The minister has ordered the creation of Sanskrit teachers’ posts and the closure of Urdu classes. Therefore, ensure that a complete proposal for introducing Sanskrit as a third language in your school is sent to this office,” the directive stated.
Taking strong exception to the move, Congress MLA Rafeek Khan wrote a letter to Dilawar, highlighting the impact on students.
“Currently, 127 students are studying Urdu as a third language in the school. Discontinuing Urdu classes will adversely affect them,” Khan wrote.
